


Silver and Gold

by emotionalsupporthufflepuff



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst and Feels, Azkaban, Complete, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, F/M, Head Girl Hermione Granger, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Post Traumatic Stress, Post-War, Sharing a Bed, Sleepy Cuddles, just wait
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-20
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2020-10-24 10:26:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 30,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20704442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emotionalsupporthufflepuff/pseuds/emotionalsupporthufflepuff
Summary: Hermione returns to Hogwarts for her final year to figure out what comes next for her. One night, in a harmless game she learns the person who is supposed to be her soulmate is in the room...Soulmate AU/8th-year trope. COMPLETE





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome to my first multi-chapter work. This is going to be a shorter work, probably 5 or 6 parts long, but I'm very receptive to input at this point. Unapologetically this is set in the classic "8th-year " setting. It's been done but I want my turn. It will start off slow but I will be trying my hand at sexy smutty scenes, promise.
> 
> Side note: Happy birthday Hermione. May you inspire future generations to write for all time. 
> 
> Disclaimer : I own nothing.

As the sun set low over the Australian horizon, Wendell and Monica Wilkins packed up their beach bags and lawn chairs, shaking off the excess sand and chatted animatedly about their plans for dinner, talks of dancing on the beachfront restaurant nearby. The evening breeze blew generously, filling the air with the smell of salt and sand. Their lives were completely ordinary and unburdened. They had successful careers and no children to care for.

No anxious, war-torn children with nightmares and scars to worry their minds over.

Hermione sighed and shifted on the bench facing the water. They would walk right past her and never know.

She would give herself till the sun was completely dipped behind the ocean to watch them disappear into their new lives, and her into her own. She wouldn’t burden them with trying to restore their memories, with trying to comfort her in from a war that took place in a world they weren’t privy too. wasn’t worth the risk of messing up their perfectly functional minds, their happiness.

The dark blue waters of the tide pushed in and out on the sand, as the orange sun dipped out of sight. The twinkle of street lamps and car headlights shone around her. Hermione clicked the button on the flashlight that was an international portkey three times and felt the swirling sensation of being squeezed through time and space.

Back at the Burrow, she told the Weasleys she couldn’t find her parents, that they must have not moved to Australia after all. It would be impossible to guess what the Wilkins’ next move would be. Molly rambled on about how she still had their family and Harry and so many admiring supporters. Harry and Ginny mumbled half-hearted condolences, too lost in their own joy to feel much of anything else.

Ron offered a one-armed hug and an awkward kiss on the cheek.

“Well, what’s the plan now?” he asked, scuffing the toe of his shoe against the wood floors. 

“I’ll write to McGonagall, tell her I accept her offer to come back to finish and get my N.E.W.T.S and that I accept being Head girl. It’ll look good for whatever I do after.” she wrapped her arms around her chest and looked away, not wanting to meet the pitiful expression on Ron’s face. The truth of the matter was post-war life had left her with more questions than answers. The boys knew they wanted to be Aurors for years before the war, but Hermione hadn’t settled on any one thing. He took a deep breath and started to say something. 

“You can come to Auror training with Harry and I- “

“ I already told you I don’t want to be an Auror! At least not right now I don’t! I don’t know exactly what I want to do now I haven’t had the time to think-”

“What are you talking about you’re always thinking-”

“About bringing down Voldemort. About keeping Harry alive. About just getting to the next day. I don’t know what _ I  _ want...Not yet. I need time to think, and to heal.”

“Heal? ”

Answering with only an exasperated sigh, she moved through the kitchen and out of the back door to the garden where the warm July breeze pushed through the stilted air. Ron followed silently and automatically 

There were a few more awkward beats of silence between them in which only the crickets and summer breeze rustling the grass of the meadow could be heard. The moon’s silver glow bathed them both in an eerie light. Ron took a side step away and stuffed his hands into his pockets. 

“ ‘Mione-”

“ Yes, Ron? “

“ You’ll figure it out. You always do. And when you do, I'll be here waiting okay? “

Hermione gave him a small half-smile. “Yeah, I know. I think I’d like to be alone for a moment.” 

And with that, he went back into the Burrow. Hermione looked up at the sliver full moon and tried to let her heart tell her what was next for once.

* * *

The shining golden snitch tried to make an escape again and was caught, just by the tip of his middle finger. His hand curled around it instinctively and he brought it back, smothering the fighting wings against his shirt so they would retract back into the ball.

“Draco.”

“ Yeah?”

Narcissa clicked her tongue in admonishment of the response. “ No matter how hungover you are, you’re still a Malfoy. I suggest you sit and speak like one.” She was sitting ramrod straight, on the very edge of her seat, floor-length black robes hovering just above the marble floor. He blinked at her for a moment and decided the headache he had despite the hangover potion did not need to be aggravated further by an argument, so he pulled himself up from his leaning position on the arm of the chair and straighten his coat.

“So sorry mother. Tell me, do you think the weather on Azkaban is pleasant this time of year?” Draco asked in mockery of what his mother would call polite conversation. The snitch sensed movement and tried to make a break for it but he caught it with his left hand before it could get too far. 

“You were always so talented. Are you going to take your old spot back on the team once you return?” Narcissa asked resting her chin on her fist, boulder-sized diamond ring shining in the mid-morning light. The Manor made a noise like the Floo in front of them going off and both Malfoys tensed for a moment, then relaxed as it came to be nothing.

“ You can’t seriously think they’ll let me back. “ Draco mumbled, gripping the snitch even tighter.

“You need N.E.W.T.S to do anything worthwhile.”

“They won’t hire me anyway-”

“Draco, come now- “

“Mother I don’t want to-”

This time the Floo did spring to life and both of them automatically got on there feet as their solicitor passed through in a flash of green. He looked directly at Narcissa first and shook his head slowly.

“No chance of parole? At all? Ever.”

Mr. Foxworth cleared his throat and spoke in the type of voice reserved for delivering bad news. “Mrs. Malfoy, you should understand, you were pardoned because of an extraordinary moment in history. Maybe in a few years, when things have calmed down and Mr. Malfoy has good behavior, we can bring the topic of parole up again, but you should know, it was shot down by the entire jury. People are angry and grieving so they’re looking for scapegoats to pay for the crimes of the dead.” 

Narcissa placed a hand over her lips to hide the fact that they were trembling for a moment and then spoke again. “What of Draco’s trial? Will it be before the new term starts? Can he go back to Hogwarts?” 

Mr. Foxworth turned towards him. “You’re very lucky that the Ministry is still a slow-moving mess right now. Every day new crimes are being uncovered and so many paper trails were destroyed in the takeover. Power is still shifting and ranks still being filled in. I think if you keep your head low you can get a couple more months before you’re summoned. See if they’ll let you back, it’ll look good for when you do have to go up. “ He turned back to Narcissa “ That’s all I have for today.”

She dismissed him and he vanished back through the fireplace, while Draco stood frozen to the spot. He couldn’t move for being paralyzed with a rush of anger and fear. So he’d get to walk in a Voldemort free world for just a few months before it could be taken away forever. It was impossible to decide if it would be worse not just lock himself up in the prison right now and never allow the taste of freedom again. 

He loosened his grip on the snitch, watching the golden ball flutter away just out of arm's reach. His gaze followed it as it hovered higher and higher, lost in thought until his mother touched his arm, making him jump slightly. This was the closest he’d ever seen her to being in tears because Narcissa Malfoy did not cry, not at least in front of anyone. Her ice-blue eyes studied him like they wanted to absorb him as if she could atone for his sins somehow. Gripping his arm she whispered, as if afraid to say the words out loud

“You need to go back, back to school. You need to be good, Draco. I can’t lose you too. “


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to ms.kimmypotter for beta-ing this for me :D

The past month had been one of the strangest in Hermione’s life. She responded to McGonagall's offer for Head Girl upon returning to Hogwarts the next morning after a sleepless night at the crowded Burrow. She had a red badge by return owl that evening and the promise separate living quarters and the freedom to come and go as she pleased before classes began.

As she read the last part is was literally elbow to elbow with Ron and Ginny at the cramped kitchen table while everyone ate breakfast. Nudging Ginny she pointed to the words instead of saying them out loud, giving the other girl the option to think without voiced opinions. Ginny chewed her sausage thoughtfully for a second, shook her long red hair and gestured at Harry. Hermione nodded, folded the letter up and finished her breakfast.

By the end of that week, she settled in her dorm and started on a project from the Headmistress herself. The Carrows had destroyed the library’s already limited and outdated reference material for Muggle Studies but Flourish and Blotts had donated several new references from there personal stores and it was Hermione’s task to scan through and check the accuracy of the texts.

While not totally up to date, it certainly was improved from the old reference material. At least most of these featured cars built after 1960 and briefly mentioned the use of computers. As she sent each one floated to the place it needed to be in, the shining sliver title of a large brown tome caught her eye. 

_ Muggle Literature for the British Witch and Wizard by B. Fogs.  _

Hermione flipped to the middle of the book to scan over the contents.

_ “ ...Whatever souls are made of, his and mine are the same… _

It leapt out of her from the pages. Of course, she’d seen that quote before, but it was more often a source of annoyance, as it was often taken out of context. It was about a dangerously codependent relationship and Catherine Edwards ended up marrying Linton and not Heathcliffe anyway. But it didn’t mention that instead, it went on to finish the quote. 

_ “...and Linton's is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire.” It seems as though Ms. Bronte may have understood elemental soulmate magic, further circulating rumors she was in love with a wizard through the speculation on this may vary greatly.  _

_ Elemental soulmate magic itself is a rumor to be so few and far between phenomenon that its research into its validity is limited and often written off as-” _

“ Hermione.” An ethereal voice spoke just above a whisper on the back of her neck causing her to jump and drop the book off her lap with a loud thunk onto the library floor. Luna Lovegood was standing on the edge of her personal space looking thrilled, her long blonde hair piled high on her head and violently purple dress making her look even paler than when they had last seen her in Malfoy Manor. Her wand was poked through the base of her messy bun and she had a stack of what Hermione could guess were old issues of The Quibbler.

“Hi, Luna. How are you?” After the initial shock, Hermione was really very glad to see the other witch again. Luna was odd but she was good company.

“I’m healing.” And nodded as though the implications of that were obvious. “ Are you? Your aura is all wrong, it's not as shiny as it used to be.” 

Hermione just blinked nervously and tucked a curl behind her ear. “ I’m...I’m getting there. Old Quibblers? For the Library?”

“Oh yes, Daddy and I discussed the lack of reference material on several very important magical creatures in the library. For example, did you know there wasn’t a single mention of wrackspurts in any text here? Well,” She patted the stack fondly. “ It’s a start.”

Hermione felt her brows knit together. They discuss this last year while the Carrows were rampaging through the castle or had it just come up over tea recently as if it were just a funny anecdote she recalled. 

Luna looked so pleased with herself, all she could say was “ That’s great Luna.” With a swish and flick, Hermione sent  _ Muggle Literature for the British Witch and Wizard by B. Fogs.  _ into its correct top shelf spot.

That was only the strangest thing to happen that week.

The following week, the last week of August, Hermione was summoned to McGonagall's office for a meeting. She had just assumed it would be more of the finer points of Head Girl duty.

Instead of Ernie MacMillan, Terry Boot and worst of all Pansy Parkinson were sitting in front of McGonagall's desk wearing pins in their house colors. 

Over the next half hour, the Headmistress explained she had actually gone back to a system that was in place when she was in school to prevent favoritism in houses. She also felt it would be necessary due to “ the addition of the extra year and the emotional trauma all students would be bringing with them.”

Three of them turned to glare at Pansy, to her credit Pansy didn’t flinch but held the glare right back to them. 

McGonagall coughed and then spoke. “Miss Parkinson did an exceptional job under the circumstances last year-”

“You couldn’t find anyone else to take the job-”

Ernie lept out of his seat “Half of you fucking first-year torturers shouldn’t be allowed back in society at all, you should be in Azkaban.”

“Really MacMillan you want to get into last year? I didn’t see Hufflepuff staging any great walkouts. “

“ What I want to know “ Terry raised his voice above the other two “ Is if the rumors are true, Draco Malfoy is coming back.”

At that Hermione stiffened. The vision of Malfoy from the view of his living room floor was accompanied by the sound of her own shrill screams, the feeling of Bellatrix’s weight crushing her. The chandelier reflecting the firelight above her. Silver and gold fractals of light. 

Being pulled out from underneath the huge chandelier and the last thing she saw was Malfoy bent over with his hands over in his face and his mother screaming something.

She shuddered and came to the present. McGonagall was shooing the other three out of her office. Hermione stood to follow.

“Wait, Miss Granger.” the older witch scanned her over with dark eyes that saw everything. “ Are you quite alright ?” 

Hermione nodded. “Just...got lost in my own head. Sorry. So, Malfoy, is he coming back to school?”

McGonagall straightened and ran her hands nervously over her robes. “As of yet, there are no legal reasons to keep Mr. Malfoy out, so yes he will be. If we’re giving everyone a second chance, we must give  _ everyone  _ that chance. You understand that, don’t you miss Granger?” 

The younger witch nodded again and understood herself to be dismissed which was a relief at this point.

She almost ran into Pansy at the bottom of the stairs.

“Listen, Granger, I know you’re going to say no so I don’t even know why I’m asking but I know the living quarters comes with two bedrooms but you got there first so if it's going to be too much of a problem I can always just stay in the dungeons- “her high ponytail swung to the side. 

Hermione was confused only for the briefest of moments. “Are you asking me if you can stay in a room you’re technically equally entitled to?”

“Yeah, but it’s whatever if-”

“No, no it's fine.” Hermione was surprised at her own answer but heard McGonagall's words in her head. “ I was just surprised.”

“Great thanks.” Pansy twisted her hands together and looked from side to side, high ponytail swishing with her head. “ You look nice with your hair long, the weight helps you from looking like you don’t own a brush.”

“Thanks, your hair looks nice longer too, draws less attention to your nose.” Hermione shot back. Pansy frowned for a moment and a slow smirk climbed across her face.

“I think this can work Granger.”

* * *

Draco was on his second walk up and down the Hogwarts express. The first go-around he’d bumped shoulders with a pissed-off looking Ginny Weasley and they had exchanged single finger communication. 

Pansy was missing and he hadn’t heard from her in a week. Sudden disappearances still didn’t settle well with him. Plenty of people had gone missing after the first wizarding war was long over too and never resurfaced.

Nervous bile rose in his mouth. He tried to shake it off and looked into the glassdoor at a group of Ravenclaw girls, all of whom stared back at him and one who spoke to her neighbor behind her hand and the whole group giggled.

Weasley materialized next to him. “ I hate asking you this but have you seen Luna?”

“Wouldn’t she be in there ?” he pointed to the Ravenclaws who were all giggling again. 

“Not necessarily. She's probably meditating on the roof for all I can guess. What are you doing, looking for another person to poison? Imperious?” 

Draco closed his eyes and counted to three before speaking. “ I’m looking for Pansy, I haven’t heard from her in a week, have you seen her on the train?” he spoke very clearly and slowly as if too a small child.

At least Weaslette had the decency to look slightly concerned and shook her head. “No, but if I do I’ll tell her you are looking for her.” 

“Same if I see Lovegood. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if she turns and runs from the sight of me.”

She shook her head again. “Luna’s not like that. Luna has probably long forgiven you for whatever happened. I don’t know, she didn’t want to talk about it.” 

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. “ No one does, She-weasel, no one does. “ 

“Guess I’ll see you around then Malfoy.” Weasley slid past him to work her way down the other side of the train. 

As soon as she had passed out of earshot Draco leaned against the wall, closed his eyes and tried to steady his breath. Flashbacks from earlier in the year where assaulting his senses. He flattened his hands to the wall trying to keep himself grounded as he heard the sound of glass and metal crashing against a marble floor and saw a pair of amber eyes watching him and then disappearing from view.

_ Of all the fucking people it had to be her. _

He could still remember staring at the silver and gold pieces of wreckage as the Dark Lord punished them for letting Potter escaped from the Manor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise there will be real dramione in the next chapter. I wanted to finish establishing the social and emotional climate with this chapter, as well as hint at the Soulmate portion of our story.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's late I know. I took apart the whole plot and put it back together, bad author bad.

Days before her nineteenth birthday, Hermione found herself studying in the library with her new pack of friends. Pansy and Ginny seemed to reach some unspoken mutual agreement on the first night after Ginny had followed Hermione up from dinner to see the head girl dormitory. There had been a silent staring match. 

“Weasley.”

“Parkinson.” 

Pansy looked extraordinarily uncomfortable but also refused to be pressured out of her own room. “ About the - “

Ginny shook her head. “Lots of people tried to get Harry killed, few people were just as loud about it.”

Pansy gave a curt nod and went into her bedroom after that. Hermione had figured that was as good as things got. 

But she was really grateful to have Pansy around once Ginny was made Quidditch Captain. The younger witch threw herself into it entirely, sighting it as her last stop before the professional league. 

Luna tagged along whenever she felt it necessary, which was fine. It was nice to have amicable female company for once. 

So it wasn’t shocking she found herself in the library on a Thursday night, working through some required reading for Ancient Runes. Pansy sat on the opposite side of the table, her chair tilted back as she ran through motions for Charms, while Ginny mumbled to herself, pacing by the window, prodding the small board she used for Quidditch plays. Luna lay on her stomach under the tables, flipping tarot cards in a pattern only she quite understood.

The rain began to bounce off the window as Ginny looked out into the dark, frowning.

“Better today than Saturday for tryouts. “ She paused for a moment before turning away “ Hermione your birthday is on Saturday, why didn’t you say anything?” 

She shrugged. The boys were never particularly creative with gifts or good at remembering well in advance, so her birthday had become a nonissue with them. This year not getting a gift from her parents would only serve as a painful reminder.

“It’ll be nice to have the day off, I suppose.” 

“We should do something. In your dorm! Come on, I’ll tell you every dirty joke my brothers have ever taught me, Pansy will...I don’t know, will teach us how to do our nails or something - “

“You do need it” Pansy retorted still looking up towards the ceiling.

“And Luna will get us stuff from the kitchens, the elves love her. It’ll be great.” Ginny finished. 

“Maybe Draco would like to come since he’s listening to the conversation,” Luna said from under the table. 

Pansy dropped her chair legs down and looked around, Hermione looked behind her while Ginny looked out of the rain-splattered window.

Draco Malfoy appeared from behind the bookshelf to Pansy’s back. “The whole bloody library can hear you.”

Luna looked up from under the table at him. “I could see your aura. it looks better than the last time I saw you.”

Draco frowned, opened his mouth, closed it and opened it again to say, “ Thank you Lovegood, I find not being under the thumb of homicidal maniacs to be good for my health. No, I don’t want to go to your party, I'm not starved for human interaction.“

Pansy stifled a laugh as Draco tugged on the back of her newly upright chair causing her to flail. 

“Well thank Merlin for that,” Ginny said dryly. “I don’t think I’d fancy giving Malfoy a pedicure.”

“I’m sure your troll toes aren’t much better Weasley. “

“Gross. And Draco doesn’t take his socks off ever anyway. _ Evveerrr _ .” Pansy snickered while Draco pulled at her chair again. Pansy was so taken aback that time her wand was still moving, sending green sparks flying from the end of it, hitting Malfoy in the face. He dropped the chair causing Pansy to scream abruptly causing Madam Pince to materialize and send them on their way.

But truth be told,it was the first time Hermione had let out a genuine laugh in a long time; feeling like the rain washed a layer of dust that had settled on her soul. 

Out in the corridor, as Draco sped past the girls that gathered outside the library to say goodnight, Hermione asked them “ So, can we do that Saturday?” and was greeted back with three genuine smiles. 

The following Saturday, Hermione settled herself into one of the overstuffed velvet-lined armchairs in the common area between the bedrooms. Ginny was bent double into one of Pansy’s trunks rummaging through it after Pansy had said she was getting rid of everything after graduation to “start fresh” . Luna had yet to wander back from kitchens and Pansy was summoning a tiny cauldron and bottles of ingredients towards the center of their circle;. tossing an empty jar to Hermione.

“Here, I heard you can make a bluebell flame, or that you set Snape on fire, or set a toilet on fire...something like that.”

Hermione scoffed. “ I did not set the toilet on fire, I set the water inside the toilet on fire in the second year. But other than that, it's all true. “ She stuck her wand in the jar and wordlessly made the blue flames appear. 

“Show off,” Pansy smirked, taking the jar and put it under the cauldron. Ginny emerged with several scarves and shirts draped around the back of her neck and a pair of neck-breaking heels in one hand. She eyeballed the ingredients Pansy was dumping into the cauldron carefully before saying “ Noo...we’re not…”

“Sometimes I forget you’re Pureblood, Weasley. Yes, we are.”

“But that's just some old tale...the potion doesn’t actually work does it?”

“What? Scared it won’t be Potter?”

Hermione cleared her throat. “ Excuse me, but what exactly are we doing? “

“Soulmate potion,” Pansy said simply. “ When it's done, you drop a hair in and you’ll get to see the exact eye color of your soulmate.” Her smirk faded as she shifted in her black jogger pants and an oversized jumper. “ The Greengrass sisters and I did it the summer before 5th year. It answered a lot of questions I had at the time. “ She blinked furiously and plastered a fake-looking smile on her face. 

Luna chose that moment to float through the door with an arm full of crisps and chocolates with a trail of house-elves carrying bottles of wine and a full-sized cake on a plate. She dropped all the snacks unceremoniously on the floor and peered into the cauldron. “Oh, soulmate potion, that should be fun.” She was wearing a fuzzy navy blue bathrobe with moons on it and her dirty blonde hair was in a messy bun on the crown of her head. It would have been passable slumber party wear if it weren’t for the fuzzy chartreuse socks on her feet with dirigible plums spotted on them. 

“See, Lovegood knows a good time. You want to go first or last birthday girl?”

“Last” Hermione said, still very skeptical of the whole thing but not wanting to damped the cheerful mood of the room.

“I’ll go first.” Ginny volunteered, taking a spot around the cauldron, “ You know as a tester, so we can see if this really works.”

Pansy stirred the potion counting under breath for another moment and watched it as turned a snow-white color. “ Ok Weasley, one hair if you will.” 

Ginny dropped in a singular hair and it the potion immediately turned an emerald green everyone in the room recognized. Ginny’s shoulders dropped in relief and a huge grin spread across her face. She looked to Hermione who grinned back, happy for her and Harry, even if it was all just a random chance.

“Adorable,” Pansy said dryly. “ Moving on. Luna, you go.”

Luna dropped a single blonde hair into the potion and it turned a deep sapphire blue. Ginny shrugged and Pansy frowned.

“I don’t know…”

“Oh, I do. But I think I should tell him first .” Luna said matter of factly. Hermione was coming up with a list of reasons of why the potion would change colors the way it did, supposing it had something to do with pigmentation in the hair that made it appear different colors.

Without waiting for another word, Pansy dropped a short black hair in the potion and it turned a deep chocolate brown. 

“Yeah except that could be  _ anyone  _ !.” She yelled at the cauldron. At that moment there was a frantic bang on the door causing the black-haired witch to sigh. “ I’ll get it, I think I know who it is.” 

Hermione had her hair out and read, and dropping it in as soon as Pansy moved away.

A puzzled look crept upon her face, watching as the contents of the potion turned a brilliant silver color; a hue she’d never seen human eyes come in. The other two witches looked at each other in confusion.

“Maybe he’s a vampire or something.” Hermione tried to joke about it but really felt a little hurt that she couldn’t even get a color to think about. Behind them, Pansy was tugging on an arm in a green Quidditch jersey into the door; an ensuing fight could be heard outside. Draco’s blond head emerged from the threshold as his body was being pushed in by Theo Nott.

“Do you want to go to Azkaban Malfoy?” Theo asked, slamming the door before Draco could push past him. “ Stop they’re not worth it.” Draco’s classic sneer was plastered on his face, twirling his wand in a menacing way as though he might hex his friend. Finally, with a great sigh, he stowed his wand. 

Pansy came back over to the circle and threw a bag of crisps to each boy. “ Fuckers. Did you go yet, Granger? Oh ...oh my sweet Circe…” 

The potion had settled into a calmer slate grey color in the few minutes the interruption had happened. Luna’s face broke into a smile and Pansy’s mouth was hanging open. 

“Oh, Draco!” Pansy yelled still staring at the potion “ Come here.” 

“ What?” he snapped finally moving away from his spot near the door. Pansy pointed to the cauldron and he looked at it warily. Ginny gasped and pointed, and stood bouncing on the balls of her feet. 

“Granger, can you please explain what the fuck is happening here?” As she turned her gaze away from the cauldron to answer Malfoy’s question she found herself looking into a pair of eyes the same shade as the potion.

“It’s ...soulmate potion...but ...it doesn’t mean anything...there's no such thing as soulmates,” Hermione mumbled trying to look anywhere else but him. 

Malfoys face contorted in confusion while he dodged Pansy’s hand going for his hair.” Soulmate? What...No Pans…” but instead he moved right into Theo’s outstretched hand who tugged a platinum strand and handed it to the Slytherin witch. Without waiting, she dropped it into the cauldron watching as the potion turned a brilliant gold color for a moment before turning to warm dark amber color. 

Malfoy swallowed nervously and said to no one in particular “ Can someone please explain what the fuck just happened?”

* * *

Draco banged his head lightly on Granger's shut door while the witches whispered too loudly in the common area.

“ I didn’t think she’d take it so seriously or else I wouldn’t have done it.”

“I don’t know...that was pretty intense. Anyway, I better head out for the night, thanks for the clothes.”

“Night.”

“Where’s Luna?”

“ She asked Theo to walk her back to Ravenclaw tower….oooohhh ...huh.”

“Huh.”

He glared at them from his spot in front of the door “Okay, Yes goodbye, Weasley. Granger, open up. I have ...this wine Pansy has although it probably tastes terrible but...come on…”

“Why do you even care Malfoy? “ said a muffled voice from behind the door.

_ Because I’ve liked you a lot longer than you’ve liked me. Because my soul was crushed into a fine mist the first time I heard you scream in pain. Because I’ve known you were my soulmate for years. I can feel it in my core. _

“Because the last thing I need is for the “ _ Golden Girl _ ” starting rumors about me from a misunderstanding. “ 

The door swung open to reveal a puffy-eyed Hermione who grabbed him by the arm and wrenched him into the room.

“What are you playing at? I swear to Merlin, if you start a rumor campaign about me, it’s on Malfoy! This isn’t fourth year anymore.” She folded her arms across her chest and glared daggers at him. She sniffed but fidgeted with her wand in one hand which made him nervous.

“Do you really think I’m your soulmate, Granger?” he asked holding both hands up eyeing her wand. 

“Well I’ve seen evidence of souls in the magical world, hell I just spent a whole year tracking down bits of one hidden in inanimate objects and then the objects would try and kill us. So souls are in fact capable of independent thought ...but b does that mean they have a mate? Do they have families? I….I..”

“Granger?”

“I’m saying I don’t know!” Hermione looked at the ceiling as if she had written the answer up there. “ I don’t know and I don’t know how to find out. I can’t think of a book to confront…”

“Kiss me” Draco blurted out, shocked by his own words but had no choice but to try and play it off. “I won’t tell anyone and we can pretend this never happened. Then you won’t be tempted to blab about it the whole school. “

Hermione grimaced, her eyebrows contracted together as she finally stowed her wand. Her lips parted open and her tongue darted out to wet them but her eyes still showed her brain was working away furiously. “ I suppose, like the Horcruxes -” Draco shuddered involuntarily “ the magic would lie dormant until activated by an outside source, of course, what Voldemort had to do to obtain-”

“Can we not?” Draco interrupted “ Can we not go there...right now-”

“Right.” She nodded. “ Well.” She half-heartedly pressed her mouth to his and not wanting to let the moment go to waste, Draco cupped one of her cheeks in his palm and pressed her closer against him. She relaxed and open her mouth to him more, allowing him better access to the rest of her mouth.

His skin prickled; his fingertips tingling with magic. Colors popped behind his eyes which turned to a bright golden light. A feeling like the purest euphoria washed over him and crushed the breath out of his chest. Hermione's fingers where tangling into the hair on the back of his head and was clinging to him like she couldn’t support herself. She ripped her mouth away and it felt like a bad crash landing on a broom. 

“ I didn’t feel anything.” she wouldn’t meet his eye, only looking at the wall to her left. Her arms crept back up to their protective position again. “ I think you should go.”

“No, I didn’t either.” He lied. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you really think these two well be able to keep there hands off each other after that? Nah I don't think so. You know what's coming.
> 
> Bonus: I'm doing a kinktober event and I think I'll be uploading those here on AO3 shortly


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which all things start to come together, hopefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry about the gap between updates! I know I'm awful. The good news is, its that largely because I wasn't happy with the shorter path I had plotted out soooo this might a touch longer! Yay?! Well I'm happy about it. Also I adjusted the tags, I will re add them as I go please bear with me, this thing grew more legs than I knew what to do with.

That night, in her dreams she replayed the kiss over and over again like a film stuck on a loop. The memory made her skin heat and a fire burn low in her belly. She willed it to move forward or back, or just stop altogether but gave up on the battle after a few hours

There was no way _ Draco fucking Malfoy _ was her soulmate. None. It couldn’t be. 

When she eventually drifted off to sleep the scene changed. Instead of pulling apart at the end of the kiss, they lingered and their lips crashed together again in a frantic heat. She clutched at his back as he moved down her neck and his hands slid up her jumper and rested just underneath her breasts. 

Draco stepped back, his eyes darkened with lust. “ Tell me to stop. Say it, Granger.” She pulled off her jumper over her head and unhooked her bra in response, letting them both drop to the floor. He eyed her body appreciatively and their mouths met again. Her hands traveled to the hem of his shirt and tugged at it in wordless demand. When Draco went to pull it up over his head, Hermione’s eyes fluttered for a moment and when she came too

He was gone.

And she woke up. 

Weak fall sunlight was already breaking through the window and shining on the stone floor. Her hair clung to her face as it was being more rebellious than usual and she desperately needed a change of knickers. Trying to ease her racing mind she made a list…

  * _Draco Malfoy is not my soulmate. That doesn’t make sense _
  * Shower, change, wear least sexy outfit to discourage subconscious from disturbing dreams.
  * Breakfast, facing away from the Slytherin table.
  * Library, for empirical evidence debunking soulmates, therefore ridding myself of Malfoy soulmate problem.

_ At breakfast she allowed herself once glance towards the Slytherin table, telling her it was to look for Luna. She was there staring mooney eyed at Theo Nott who looked more pleased than Hermione had ever seen him, and the rest of their nearby housemates looked uncomfortable at the new intruder. Malfoy wasn't there she noted, not that she cared. Sniffling she sat down, wondering if she was coming down with a cold.  _

A few moments later she looked down the table and briefly pondered if she should have a Danish instead of fruit, and unintentionally summoned the pastry to her plate. A few people turned to watch it but she tried to play it off but acting as if she was pleasantly surprised to be showing off in such a way. 

Inside she panicked. Accidental magic at this stage was almost unheard of unless under extreme emotional distress. She nearly sprinted to the library.

Chills raced down her spine as she climbed a staircase. Maybe her magic was acting out because she was getting ill? Even more of a reason to hurry. 

Of course, Hermione knew what section she wanted to start in so she strode right to the aisle and turned 

There was Malfoy, with one book tucked under his arm and another open in his hands. He sniffed before turning to glare at her, dark circles standing out from his pale skin. 

" What do you want, Granger?" He hissed at her as her legs inexplicably carried her to him.  _ She hated that they did that. Why did they keep doing that? _

As soon as she got within arm’s length of Draco a pleasant warmth crept over her as if she had just sunk into a relaxing warm bath from a long day. She gasped and stopped dead in her tracks. Draco looked her over suspiciously. “ What did you do to us last night ?”

“ I didn’t  _ do  _ anything! Are you..are you having ...symptoms? “ Hermione whispered. On cue, Draco sneezed and silver sparks shot from his wand in his robe pocket, burning a hole in the fabric.

“Fuck. “ He muttered examining the burn. “ You. You need to fix this!” He gestured around them. “Today. “ 

“ I don’t know what this _ is!”  _ she whined, taking every ounce of restraint not to stomp her feet in frustration. “ Okay, let me retracing my steps. Saturday, I woke up, ate breakfast, went to the Quidditch game, came in and got lunch, studied until it was time to hang out with Ginny Pansy and Luna. “

“ After we won the Quidditch game.” She rolled her eyes but motioned for him to go on “ we stayed on the field running plays until dinner. On my way back to the common room I got diverted ...and ended up going to Pansy’s room with Theo… you know…” He’s cold stare didn’t let up though Hermione could see his grey eyes trying to puzzle out a solution. “ I don’t suppose that potion Pans made had anything to do with it?”

Hermione shook her head. “ The other girls are fine as far as I can tell . What was your diversion?”

His cheeks tinged with pink at that. “ It’s not important, that wasn’t it -”

“ It might have been -”

“The Gryffindors, minus Weaselette, wanted to start something. But per the advice of my solicitor, I’m to avoid any ...conflicts....”

Hermione chewed her lip “ Did you cast anything at them? Or did they do anything to you?”

His jaw rolled in frustration. “ No. I didn’t even say anything to them until I was almost to your dorm… they went after my mother…” his face clearly daring her to challenge defending his mother.

“ That’s when Pansy and Theo had to drag you away?”

“Yes.” with the pop of the “ s”.

“But if you didn’t do anything that couldn’t be it. “ She didn’t have time to brooch the subject of the words exchanged between the rivaled teams right now. “ You keep looking in magical maladies, I think I saw something in another section I’m going to go find.” With that, she hurried away. 

Something was brewing near the surface of her mind. Something that had stood out for no reason at the time, but now....but it couldn’t be. 

_ Muggle Literature for the British Witch and Wizard by B. Fogs.  _

Memory lead her fingers to flip to the right page.

_ “...and Linton's is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire.” It seems as though Ms. Bronte may have understood elemental soulmate magic, further circulating rumors she was in love with a wizard through the speculation on this may vary greatly.  _

_ Elemental soulmate magic itself is a rumor to be so few and far between phenomenon that its research into its validity is limited and often written off as a fluke or even a hoax set up by the couple themselves. Whatever the case may be, those who report having similar elements in a soulmate often report disinterest, confusion, depression, and apathy once there bond has been activated.  _

She swallowed hard. “  _ Once their bond has been activated.”  _ _ _ She would love to pretend there hadn’t been two very instances where that could have happened but the fact of the matter was if they hadn’t accidentally activated it last night, it must have happened ...that night at the Manor...

The chandelier was falling from the ceiling, in slow motion, like everything else. Narcissa and Bellatrix were screaming at ...Dobby? And the chandelier was still failing, huge and gold with thousands of tiny silver crystals tingling together. Her head rolled against the carpet to the sound of something else happening. Draco had his one arm outstretched, the other still clutching their wands and knee bent like he was going to catch the heavy thing. 

But why? Hadn’t he made it obvious earlier he didn’t give a shit if she lived or died?

Whatever it was, he was too late. It landed with a crash anyway. Draco recoiled as he was sprayed with glass shards and Hermione felt…felt nothing…

All this time, she had thought it was just a side effect of extensive exposure to the Cruciatus curse that she was just numb and her nerve endings were fried. Had Draco unintentionally cast a spell to protect her? Why hadn’t he done it earlier when she really needed it? 

There was still no way  _ Draco  _ was her soulmate. 

She slammed the book down on the table where he was sitting causing him and several other students to jump. 

“Tell me everything you know about soulmates.” 

* * *

When Draco had accidentally set his morning tea on fire, on actual fire, he had thought that the day was only going to roll downhill quickly from there. 

And he had been correct. 

What was supposed to be his first Sunday without Quidditch practice in weeks had turned into a day of scouring texts with Granger after she'd slammed that ridiculous red book down on the table. 

" Tell me everything you know about soulmates. " 

He snorted. " They don't exist. We talked about this last night. " 

She opened the book where her finger was marking the page. "Theory suggests otherwise. "

" So debunk the theory, Granger. Prove it wrong, that sounds like a good fucking time for you.”

"I think you activated the bond, unintentionally, of course, that night, with Bellatrix…” 

Draco froze, his heart rattling painfully against his ribs, trying to escape. His throat ran dry as he drummed his fingers against the page of the book he had been scanning. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He whispered finally, not looking at her.

“ That’s a lie Malfoy. I remember, probably better than you think I can. “ 

He finally turned his gaze to her and saw she was staring resolutely down at the page tears starting to brim over in her eyes. 

He cast a  _ Muffilato _ at the surrounding tables before speaking again. “ That day was one of the worst days of my life last year and trust me, there were a lot. But the war is over and your lot won. So it doesn’t matter what happened between us that day, use that big obnoxious brain of yours to figure out why our magic is going haywire and we can both move _ on. “  _

“ Why are you just ignoring it? Why won’t you tell me what-”

“ It was too little too late Granger! It wasn’t enough! The damage was done, my psychotic Aunt had already done her damage and I did nothing to stop her. Nothing! And don’t think for a second I don’t know exactly what you were feeling either because she did it to me too when I struggled with the unforgivables at first. I know that fucking knife is cursed and that disgusting word is etched in your arm forever.” The words poured out of him faster than he could think to stop himself. By the end, it was like trying to hold water between his fingers. Gold flames shot from his wand and a couple of books fell off the shelves behind them. He realized he was standing from where he had been sitting.

As usual, Hermione Granger stood her ground. She didn’t even flinch during his tirade, she just stroked the spine of the book like she was trying to soothe a scared animal. 

When the silence between them finally threatened to crush them, she spoke. “ What made you change?” 

The last thing Draco wanted to do was answer that wretched question. The words screamed and rattled in the cage they were trapped in until his head hurt. 

“ You did. A long time ago. “

She gave the tiniest gasp and touched her lips. Her pink tongue darted out and wet her bottom lip as she thought about something, what it was he couldn’t even guess at while watching her move that mouth. 

“ I felt something. Last night. When we kissed. I just didn’t want to admit it.”

A knife twisted in his gut. She had felt it too but even the thought of being with him had repulsed her. Why wouldn’t it? She tilted her chin up to look him and those dark eyes had that slightly terrifying spark behind them. Hovering at the edge of his personal space she tilted her face up to his.

“ What are you doing?” He should recoil, he should flinch, he should push her away until she ran away screaming. Instead, his hands just stayed frozen at his sides. 

“ Debunking the theory.” She mumbled, pressing her lips to his. The world exploded into fractals of light again. Magic prickled over his skin like warmth as he pressed into her, testing to see what she would do. She parted her mouth to accommodate him more. This wasn’t like kissing anyone else he had ever kissed before, that was more of a means to an end. This was like being in a perfect state of existence and he could be happy to stay like this forever.

But something on the front of his brain wanted him to test it, to push it further, to taste her on his tongue forever. Granger was thinking the same thing because at that moment her tongue flicked across his bottom lip. He finally willed his hands to go up to cradle her face gingerly and her arms wrapped around his waist. Everything was hot and cold, light and dark, burning and soothing, silver and gold all at once. For half a heartbeat he even forgot they were still in the library until -

Someone cleared her throat and tapped her foot on the carpet next to the table. Pansy was standing there, hands on her hips with a look of smugness that could suffocate. 

“Some people are trying to study you know?” she said, the corners of her mouth turning up trying not to smile. 

“But surely not you Pansy?” Draco shot back, mostly annoyed that they were interrupted, partly relieved that they were. This thing with Granger was so strange and on shaky ground, not to mention if it all went to shit it could be used against him in his trial.

The trial. The fucking trial. She didn’t know. He’d have to tell her. 

Granger wrapped her hand around his and all the air left his lungs. “ Let’s check out these books and take them back to my dorm, we can figure this out better without having to worry about being overheard. “ He arched an eyebrow at her. “ Just...just talking. We need to figure this out first before we get in too deep. “ She tugged his arm. “Let's go. “ 


	5. Interlude : Pansy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pansy soulmate, per reader request.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You all asked me so nicely, I had to! I appreciate all the love my crazy little idea is receiving. It's spawning so many other ideas!

Pansy stopped in front of her dormitory door, hand poised to knock then dropped it.

This was her room why would she need to knock? She should just go in! Besides all, she would see is them talking right? 

No, she couldn’t even fool herself with that lie. It had been over a year since she let the idea of her and Draco go but it didn’t mean the spot in her heart for him had gone, or that the sting had completely disappeared. 

Instead, despite her better judgment, she headed out towards the greenhouses where she knew she would find  _ him. _

No one knew about them, and whatever it was they had between them, not even Daphne or Draco. Everyone had been so wrapped up in the war last year while the Carrows terrorized the school that it was easy to slip away into the shadows. Everyone had secrets about what they did to get through there own private hell, why shouldn’t they?

Before she knew it, she was outside, the crisp autumn air biting at her bare legs. She cast a warming charm on her skirt to keep from shivering too much, showing weakness was still not something she was comfortable with. 

Even in the new twilight, she could see his distorted profile through the greenhouse glass. He was pointing his wand threateningly at some strange cactus-like plant that was trembling. He softened and conjured a small blanket to wrap it in and used a tailoring charm so that it fit around it like a cloak

It was one of her spells, one she had shown him last year. She rapped on the greenhouse door with her fingernails and he looked up and smiled at her, warm dark chocolate eyes shining even in the moonlight.

Neville Longbottom was tall, with a jaw and cheekbones that could cut diamonds and broad shoulders that sloped at just the right angle with a tapered waist. Any and all puppy fat was well and truly melted away. But even Pansy saw right through the genetic blessings and saw the big heart that shone through.

“ I haven’t seen you all year. I was starting to wonder if last year was all a dream - well nightmare. Except for the parts with you, those weren’t nightmarish.... Uh Hi. “ He stood and wiped his hand together nervously. 

“It hasn’t been as easy to get away. With actual proper teachers wandering around you know.” She forced herself to walk slowly to his table, examining the plants carefully before turning to look at him. 

“ You know with the war over, we could try to do this for real if you wanted. We could try, being a real couple and not just...just…” his tongue darted out of his lips as he searched for the words. “Comfort..for each other…”

“Fuck buddies Neville. We are fuck buddies and that’s fine for now. “ She hoisted herself on to the table and rested her feet on the stool next to the one he was hovering over. His eyes wandered over her legs and he gave a cautious step towards her, reading her face for a signal that it was ok. Pansy smiled coyly and let her knees fall further apart.

“ People can see us in here Pans. All they’d have to do is get close enough to make out our faces through the glass.” With another half step, he caressed one knee with a calloused hand, rubbing his thumb in a circle. 

" They might. I suppose if we were caught I wouldn’t deny everything they saw. " One hand was on each knee and his lips were hovering over the column of her neck, barely brushing the sensitive skin. 

" Oh, you wouldn't deny it?" His breath ghosted over her, warm and minty. Pansy’s brain scrambled for a response but she came up short. " You wouldn't deny who makes you feel this way? " his lips pressed just below her ear traced her jawline.

Pansy threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled him in for a languid kiss. Colors exploded and her shoulders trembled but not from the cold. Their magic always reacted like this when they came together, like fireworks, like euphoria. When they were apart it was like someone muted the feeling but it never quite left. Pansy couldn’t put words to it but it's always like they had been made for the other a long time ago.

His hands were sliding up her thighs painfully slowly when a weird noise interrupted their bliss. 

“Neville. Your cactus is whimpering at us.”

He sighed and dropped his head to her shoulder. “ Not a cactus. Mimbulus Mimbletonia. It’s cold so it’s being clingy but it’s not allowed in the castle anymore since McGonagall got a face full of stink sap from it. “ His chest shook with laughter and even her facade cracked at that. “ She just said, “ whatever that is, it’s expelled to the greenhouses from now on Longbottom.” Pansy broke down into cackling laughter at that, relieved that no one else could hear it.

Neville pulled away and stared at her. “ I’ve never heard you laugh like that before.” She stopped and closed her mouth with a snap that was almost painful. “ No don’t stop. I was just surprised.”

“ Not a lot to laugh at last year,” she admitted and knew there was color rising in her face and hoped it was too dark for Neville to see. He just grinned again, taking her hands in his. 

“ Have you seen my room this year?” she smiled this time. He shook his head. “ Would you like too? Draco and Hermione are currently ...occupying it ...I don’t know, they give me a headache...my point being, do you want to go back up to the castle with me?” 

Neville held out his arm for her to lead the way. “ Malfoy and Hermione?” 

“It’s a long story, Longbottom, let’s not get into now. “


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which the Hogwarts library fails to provide again!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi . I'm sorry about the terrible update schedule. Does it help if I say I want a Christmas chapter because I'm a soft sap? Let's hope so.

Hermione’s eyes grew heavy as she closed  _ Muggle Literature for the British Witch and Wizard  _ for the third time that day. She couldn’t glean any new information from the reread but she was out of ideas on what to do next. Her head throbbed and exhaustion tugged at every muscle fiber in a way it hadn’t since her days on the run with Harry and Ron. 

Malfoy was pacing around the small sitting area and mumbling to himself. He looked as tired as Hermione felt. Having shed his jumper and only in a white undershirt, dark circles made rings around his eyes and his hair thoroughly run through, Hermione wondered if this is how he had looked in private all last year, under the thumb of the Death Eaters at every turn. 

And she was too tired to ponder on why she was thinking about that.

“ One more time Granger. We know that soulmates are rare- 

“ They’re unreported, probably because most people assume everyone feels the same level of intensity and attraction -”

“ But still overall rare. We know that reports increase in times of magical conflicts. “He continued, moving his hand in a “go on” motion. 

“Because the strongest bonds are formed during times of emotional turmoil, yes .” Hermione yawned and stretched as another wave washed over her.

“The last thing we know is, from those who reported it, experienced cases of accidental magic or feelings of being ill when separated from their soulmate.” He scowled at the copy of  _ 1000 Rare Magical Ailments  _ as if this was all the books fault. 

“Correct. And one reported case of death but there are no details on that. “

“ Fucking. Brilliant.” He tossed the book on to the loveseat and reclaimed the seat next to Hermione at the tiny kitchen table and squeezed at his temples. “I hate saying this but I’m going to write to Mother to see if we have anything in our library at home. I’ll keep your name out of it of course .” He pulled out a piece of parchment and quill out of the pile of them scattered on the table.

A giggle started to bubble out of her lips that she couldn’t control. “ Your mother? The lady who wanted to turn Harry, Ron and I over to Voldemort six months ago? That’s just...oh my ...we are so…” The giggles turned to full out laughter. “ But then she boldface lied and saved...well everyone...so what you...you could be soulmates with someone she hates? With a Mudblood? Gods this is…Draco we’re so  _ fucked  _ if we don’t figure this out.” She rubbed at her eyes as the laughter died off her lips.

Malfoy turned her slowly, his hands stilled still holding the quill, left eyelid twitching. 

“ First of all, don’t say that word, not about you or anyone else. I don’t know what mother would say about you being  _ Muggle -Born,  _ now that’s she’s lost her entire family to a war concerning blood status. And we will figure this out “ He paused and rolled his jaw, staring at a spot on the table taking a deep breath. Hermione felt a cold chill creep down her arms that she couldn’t explain. “Second, you called me Draco, Granger.” He turned his eyes back to her, a slight smile played at the corners of his mouth.

“Is that not your given name or is that just a very popular rumor I heard going around?” she returned the smile unaccompanied by laughter this time, letting it slowly fill her face. 

He huffed a laugh and the corners of his eyes crinkled. 

“I liked it. It doesn’t sound like you hate me like when you say  _ Malfoy. “  _

“I don’t hate you. Though I am wondering why you aren’t feeling as inebriated as I am. “ Her eyes threatened to shut under the weight of her eyelids and force her to sleep just as she was, head on the table and all. 

“Occlumency, and being better at hiding it than you. But there’s definitely something...off. I’m going to send this letter and turn in for the night, you should do the same. “ He pushed a curl off of her face with his thumb and froze like he couldn’t believe what he’d just done. Standing so fast he knocked against the table and his chair squeaked in protest, he threw things haphazardly into his bag mumbling, “ I’ll... I’ll see you tomorrow. “

He was halfway out of the door when something hit her in her haze. “Malfoy, I don’t hate you, you know that right?” 

“I know Granger. At least for now. No one hates their soulmate.” he smiled, caught himself again and let his face fall back. “ Tomorrow.” he gave her a curt nod.

That night Hermione only had the energy to peel off her clothes and toss them onto the floor before collapsing into bed, falling into a fitful sleep. 

* * *

_ September 24th 1998  _

_ My dearest Draco, _

_ What an odd subject to be studying independently. Unless you’re not independent in your endeavors at all. I’ll look in the library at my earliest convenience  _

_ All my love _

_ Mother. _

  
“ You look like hell Granger.” He shut yet another ancient tome after scanning the index and finding nothing. A cloud of sepia-colored dust emerged with a “ poof.” 

“ I’m not sleeping well to be perfectly honest. “ She rubbed her forehead in frustration and stacked the much smaller ruby-colored book on the old tome. 

“ I’m not either.” He used his knees to push the library chair back on two legs and carded a hand through his hair again. “ Not even calming draught helped- What’s next? Granger? “ He dropped the chair back to all fours to find that Hermione was sleeping soundly on the table, face buried in her folded arms. 

Sighing, Draco pulled out his homework from his bag and started quietly working through an essay. 

_ September 27th 1998 _

_ My dearest,  _

_ Let me rephrase my last letter as I think communication was lost somewhere. With whom are you working on this project?  _

_ I did a preliminary scan of the library and found some materials but I shan’t overwhelm you with information you don’t need. _

_ All my love, _

_ Mother.  _

“How long was I out that time ?” Draco separated his face from the library table they found themselves almost constantly when not in classes. His eyes we still half-lidded and unfocused as he peered around the shelves. 

“ Only thirty minutes.” Hermione read over a piece of parchment and signed the bottom in a big scrawling signature. “ What did your mother say?”

“She’s not budging until I tell her who it is.” 

Hermione frowned and tapped the parchment so it rolled up into a neat little scroll. 

“ Well, we’ll find something here eventually. “ 

_ October 1st 1998  _

_ Draco, _

_ If you want the books you have to tell me what is going on. Who is she? He? You really can’t afford to let anyone get in the way of your grades or your behavior. I can’t lose you too.  _

_ Love, _

_ Mother. _

Hermione turned the letter over to make sure she was receiving all the information. It was clear Narcissa had found something and after having scoured the Hogwarts library over and over they were growing desperate. She oscillated between frustration at the older witch’s stubbornness and understanding at wanting to know if her only child was getting into something potentially dangerous. Absentmindedly she stroked the napping blonde head in her lap wondering if there was a way they could tell Narcissa it was someone else. 

Being in proximity seemed to be the only thing that alleviated their illness like symptoms and inability to sleep and since had taken turns nodding off in the presence of each other to try to combat the fatigue and accidental magic accidents. Potions had proven unhelpful in both areas.

At that moment the dormitory door opened and Pansy stuck her head in looking from side to side. Hermione froze at being discovered like this by her but she simply smirked and came all the way into the room, dragging a nervous-looking Neville Longbottom. 

“Why don’t you just try sleeping in the same bed. Like most couples? “ Pansy closed the door behind Neville who looked apprehensively at the sleeping dragon next to Hermione. “ Oh stop Nev, he’s harmless he’s wrapped around Granger’s finger. “

“We aren’t a couple Pansy. “

The black-haired witch shrugged. “ Longbottom and I aren’t a couple either- “ 

“ But - “

“ But what? “ 

“ It’s just different Pansy! This wouldn’t be nearly as complicated if you-

“ But I’m not Granger! Listen, since you two stopped trying to tear each other apart and started sucking face you’ve been inseparable. What’re a couple more hours when your both asleep?” she turned to Neville “ You want to back me up here?” 

Neville looked at her for a long moment and then back at the pair. “ What’s the worst that could happen, Hermione? You don’t turn out to be soulmates? You don’t work out and everything goes back to the way it was before? “ Hermione’s brows came together as she stumbled around for an answer. “ Sounds like a couple to me. “ He shrugged and turned back to Pansy for confirmation that he had done as she asked correctly. 

She beamed at him. “ Thank you. Now come on, I want to show you something I just bought. I think you’ll like it. “ She clasped his hand again and Neville followed obediently behind her. 

As soon as the door clicked shut, one gray eye cracked open at her from her lap to look up at her. 

“You hear all of that?” Hermione asked still lost in thought. Draco made a noise of agreement and pushed himself upright. “ What did you think? “

Pulling out the knot of his school tie with a quick practiced motion, he thought for a second before answering. “ What we’re doing isn’t working and this research is going fucking nowhere. Let’s try it. “ 

  
  
  


Moments later she was closing her bedroom door, still nervous at what could happen when she heard the rustle of cloth. Draco had already divested himself of a shirt. 

“What are you doing?” Hermione turned her head to the window to avoid Malfoys naked torso. 

“Getting comfortable. I’m exhausted. “ The tinkle of a belt buckle made her turn her head back to him. “ Relax, nothing’s happening tonight. You’d hex my bits off anyway.” He shucked his pants off with a single motion. “ I quite like my bits as they are.” He arched both pale eyebrows at her holding his arms out to the side. " You do too apparently. "

To be truthful she hadn't even made it that far down yet, she was still trying to take in the scar that danced horizontally above his pectorals, where Harry had hit him with a sectumsempra. To his left forearm where the Dark Mark stood out in sharp relief of his pale skin and he covered it with his other hand instinctively until she stopped staring. 

“This beds really not big enough -” Hermione started as he flipped the covers off her bed as if he slept there all the time, “ It’s going to be tight…” he snorted. “ Hush. I just mean...No those are both my pillows conjure your own...I just...oh sod it...scoot.” The feverish feeling was lifting from her and the proper chill of the drafty castle was starting to fill the air again. Worst of all her  _ magic _ the instinct who had backed her on all her most logical decisions, the driving force behind what had kept her alive through everything, was urging her on, telling her that Malfoy was right, it was better if he stayed. 

There was a great amount of shifting, fussing, pillow conjuring and murmuring of an idea on mattress transfiguration. Eventually, they settled in facing each other, eyes roaming over the other in the moonlight the soaked in through her window. 

“Draco, I don’t know how this happened, but I think you should know I see where you’ve changed. This last couple of days haven’t been entirely unpleasant, I’ve enjoyed getting to know you, now that you’ve become- “

“Less of an asshole?”

She pressed her cold feet to his shin. “Let me talk. Don’t interrupt the soulmate. I was going to say since you’ve changed. It suits you. I think once we get this soulmate thing figured out, we could even be friends.”

His mouth contorted for a moment before he settled on something. He leaned forward and brushed his lips to her forehead.“ You’re really tired. Get some sleep.”

* * *

Draco awoke to a faceful of curls obscuring his vision and slowly trying to suffocate him. Confusion took hold for a minute before he remembered he was sleeping in Granger’s bed and that he had actually slept without waking or nightmares for the first time in a long while. His mind was blurry from the sudden change of habit. 

Despite the lack of bed space, he found himself quite comfortable. Her back pressed into his chest and her hip fit nicely nestled against his with his arm resting on the gentle slope of her curves. With the exception of the homicidal hair, the position was natural.

Unfortunately, other natural things were happening too and the fact that Hermione's pert backside was digging into him wasn’t helping. The scent of her, the feel of her skin, the heat radiating from her core were overwhelming his senses. He closed his eyes and started naming thinking of all the Quidditch fouls he could name. She shifted in her sleep and kicked the sheet further down showing the tops of white knickers and he almost groaned audibly. It would be so easy to dip his fingers into them from this and then into her. To make her ride his hand until she came whimpering, with his name on her lips. Then all he would have to do is do away with that flimsy piece of fabric and drive into her. Feel her walls tighten, feel her come coat his cock and watch her mouth hang open in ecstasy. 

He could do all of that without moving from this spot.

But she wanted to be friends. She didn’t want to date or be soulmates, she pitied him and wanted him to know she didn’t hate him as she should. He had to get out of here. 

He was gone before she awoke. 

_ October 3rd 1998 _

_ I’m going to bring you the books in person on your next Hogsmeade weekend. We’re going to talk about this in person. _

_ Mother.  _

Quidditch practice was going terribly for all the best reasons. Granger was in the stands with a stack of books on her lap, looking windswept in the chilly autumn air, her hair an absolute sight around her head under an emerald and silver hat she’d borrowed from Pansy. Her lips parted as a puff of colored air dusted in the early twilight. The snitch hadn’t made an appearance since the start of practice so the others bitched amongst each other, half-heartedly running through plays

“MALFOY, GRANGER IS NOT THE SNITCH SO LOOK AT SOMETHING ELSE.” Draco rolled his eyes at the call out and ignored him, dipping down into the stands to be almost level with her. He worked her name on his lips before working up the nerve to call her to him. “ Granger!” he called out to her, knocking her out of her trance. Curious as to what he wanted, set aside her books and stepped over a few seats until she was standing on one almost on his height. 

“ What's the rule on distracting the soulmate during practice? Surely that’s worth something.” 

She laughed and it chimed in the air. “ You wanted me to come. “ 

“How about a kiss for good luck ?” it was a shot in the dark, a stupid impulsive shot in the dark. Why did he even think that would work?

She gestured at the books “I’m not sure that would work. I’m not feeling very lucky. “

“It will. Just trust me.” The rest of the team was joining in on the verbal harassment now. “You’re supposed to trust your soulmate, right ?” 

“I suppose you’re right.” Her face lit up with a golden light and she held out a tiny bit of folded parchment. Draco took it without opening it and pressed his lips to hers. It was chaste in nature but the way her lips lingered said she wanted something more. 

The snitch whizzed right behind his head, snapping him out of his hypnotized state. He pulled back from their kiss and smiled fondly at her before darting off after the golden ball. With a quick flick of his wrist as it came within mere inches of his grasp, he wrapped his fingers around the Snitch, and held it up in the air as his grey eyes searched for hers in the stands; his captain blew his whistle, signaling practice was over. Hermione caught his gaze and smiled, nodding her head in a congratulatory manner before collecting her belongings and started on the way back up to the castle.

_ I would like for you to spend the night again, if at all possible.I slept better than I had in weeks with you next to me, and your lack of quidditch focus says you need it too. Pansy is on patrol for our floor so don’t worry about getting caught. - H.  _


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You. are. my. Soulmate. Our magic is all intertwined and mixed up by this crazy, shitty set of circumstances and you were just weren’t going to say anything until when? Draco I can’t….I can’t do this…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO SORRY I'M STILL NEW HERE FORGIVE ME. Have a nice heaping helping of smut and angst to make up for the gap?   
The next chapter is from Draco's pov then I'll go back to the former pattern, this way was the best way to tell this portion of the story.

Hermione bunched her hair in a bun, frowned and pulled it back down. She patted the apples of her cheeks trying to infuse some color into them, not owning blush or knowing a charm and definitely not wanting to ask Pansy right now. 

Then mumbled to herself she was being ridiculous, she saw Draco every day, he knew what she looked like half-crazed at 1 am after a night of research, there was no need to doll herself up.

Then she pulled her hair up again. 

Her hands were tingling with anticipation as she worked. She wasn't a virgin, but the tryst with Cormac and Ron had been so much less risky when they didn't pan out. She and Draco didn’t have a friendship to fall back on and as her mind wandered to going back to life without him, a sensation like a dull electric shock pulsed through her.

Right, the soulmate problem. That only complicated things more. Their whole basis for a relationship had been started on that and with each passing day, it only seemed to get stronger. It was easier to overdue even the simplest of spells when she could feel the magnetic pull of him in the room. When he was absent it felt more subdued like there was a magical dampener in the room, not that it had slowed her down in any practical classes but it was curious to note. She shuddered to actually having to depend on Draco to be able to do magic.

There was only one thing for it; if she ever wanted a decent night’s sleep again, if she wanted a handle on this soulmate… _ situation _ or the insane amount of lust she felt for Draco, this was going to have to be a real relationship. Hermione grimaced at her reflection, as she realized this also meant having to meet the insistent Narcissa and maybe one day being invited to Malfoy Manor. That made her suck in a breath. 

She undid her hair and let it fall into its frizzy curly halo form. If they were doing this the right way, Draco was going to have to take her terrible hair and all. 

A knock on the door interrupted her internal monologue. Without waiting, a familiar blond stuck his head in and whispered “Longbottom is out here waiting for Pansy and he’s trying to be  _ friendly _ I’m coming in whether you're ready or not. What are you wearing?”

Frowning she looked down at her dark red tank top and shorts and held her arms out. “Shorts?” 

“That’s what I was afraid of. “ he swallowed hard and let himself all the way into the room. He wore his emerald Quidditch jumper and black uniform pants though the masculine scent of him freshly showered told her he had deliberately changed into these things. Leaning his broom against the wall he explained “If I get caught going back to the dungeons in the morning, I’ll say I was out flying, to make up for that shitty practice today. It’ll be believable because Nott and Zabini won’t stop running their mouths about how distracted I was. “

“Why were you so distracted Draco?” Hermione closed the space between them, her magic singing relief he was finally back, it pulled her towards him.

“It turns out, some curly-hair witch was out in the stands stalking me. Says she’s my soulmate or something but I don’t know, she seems absolutely mad. “ He flashed a real smile and leaned in to kiss her gently. “Must be if she wants to be with me.”

She kissed him again at the urging of the same phenomenon that drew her towards him. “ I do, want to be with you, that’s why I wanted you to be here tonight. I think, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, Pansy was right and we should give this a real chance. Not just research and nodding off in the library but a real normal relationship. As normal as it can get anyway given that we live in a post-war-”

“Granger…”

“-Society in a war that was largely a children’s crusade.”

“Hermione! You’re rambling. “

Heat rose in her face “That’s the first time you’ve called me by my first name.” 

“I’ll have to do it more often.” he let his fingertips rest on her hips as she stood up on her toes to kiss him again, this time harder, urging him to do the same. The current that had been on a low hum, amplified more with every meeting of their lips, with every swipe of their tongue, every shared breath. Draco's hand slid up and around to the back of her head, cupping the back of her head, pressing her in closer. 

She pulled away and took his hands in hers and glanced nervously toward the bed. “I managed to transfigure it a little bit bigger so, we could have more room and uh, I’m not on the pill or potion so we’ll have to use the contraceptive charms so I brushed up on that. I have a problem with the way the text- “ 

“Hermione you’re doing it again. Let’s just take this one step at a time,” he pulled his jumper off over his head and laid down the tiny bed, patting the spot next to him. “Ok now, your turn. “

This time she took the moment to study him. The shape of his thin frame and the cut of his shoulders and he put both hands behind his head watching her warily. The way they different scars cut jagged little puzzle pieces into the pale white of his skin. She bristled at the thought that someone so young had so many scars but then remember her own collection she’d gathered most of in the last year. 

The sound of Bellatrix’s screaming replayed through her memory and all her muscles tensed. She closed her eyes and saw the broken chandelier in pieces all around her, firelight making all the pieces silver and gold. Echos of the pain shot through her muscles and her chest tightened as her breath left. Her vision tunneled and her arms shook trying to hold herself upright. 

“What’s going on ...Granger….hey Hermione...shit…” Grey eyes met brown. Grey eyes that watched her desperately writhe on the floor. Silver pieces everywhere and the gold wreckage all around. Her whole body began to shake. Arms encircled her pressing her into the mattress but the weight was comforting, it was warm and real and his touch ignited a spark within her again. 

“I have flashbacks I’m sorry.” her lips trembled as she spoke. She molded into him further, noting the natural fit of their bodies, like puzzle pieces, jagged little pieces missing from either other. She cupped one hand around the side of his face, tracing the line of his jaw, studying his face, focusing on what was real. 

“Yeah, I do too.” he started to let go but Hermione dug her fingers into his arms to keep him still. 

“Don’t let go yet. Kiss me again, please.” As his lips touched hers she curled her fingers into his hair and tilted her hips against his in a wordless plea. His hands slid under her shirt as his lips dropped to her neck and she sighed as the tension melted from her. 

“Is this okay?” he asked lifting his head slightly, hands frozen in place. “ You’re alright now?” 

“Yes.” She pressed back into him, craving more. Her hips rolled against his, desperate for friction there. His erection was straining against the jeans. “Please Draco, keep going, I want this.” She pulled his face up to hover directly over hers “ I want you. All of you.” 

A brief look of disbelief flashed across his eyes before he shifted himself lower and pulled her shirt off over her head. He groaned and flicked the pad of his thumb across one dusky nipple, palming her whole breast in his large hand. She gasped and leaned into his touch while mouth moved to her other bud and played with it, sending sparks through her core. 

“More. Please.” Everything in her was screaming for it, she needed this and it had to be now. There would be time for other things later but tonight she needed everything, like a magnet pulling her on. Her fingers trailed down his torso and popped the button on the strained jeans when he stilled again. “ Yes, I’m sure. can’t you feel that ?”

“The pull? ” His fingers skated around the curves of her hip and dipped in the waistband of her shorts. “You’re magnificent Hermione and there are so many things- “His voice broke as his fingers dipped into her core. “ - gods you are so wet- so many things I want to do to you.”

“Later. Tomorrow. Next time.” She leaned up and kissed his forehead. 

Draco pushed himself upright. “Well if there’s a next time that changes everything.” Hermione shifted out of her sleep shorts and tossed them on the floor flourish, betraying more bravery than she actually felt. The overly logical voice in her mind, the one that screamed out answers in class and cut people off mid-sentence to interject facts- was rioting that this was  _ Draco Malfoy _ and she was losing her mind.

She wandlessly cast the contraceptive charm on herself, just to see if she could and it worked perfectly.  _ Oh yes losing my mind because of old magic….well there are worse ways.  _

He watched her from where he stood, pupils were blown and chest rising and falling heavily with effort. She crooked a finger at him and snapping out of it, he tore off his pants and grabbed his wand from the bedside table, casting the charm on himself just for good measure. 

A moment later his mouth was on her again, caging her body with his, the head of his cock teasing at her entrance. 

“You are sure?”

“Draco if you ask me that again I’m going to punch you. Yes, I’m sure.” 

Without further prompting he pushed into her, stretching and filling her as if he was designed just for her. Draco swore under his breath as he buried himself to the hill and eased back out. With the second thrust, the pressure gave way to just pleasure and a moan like she never made before escaped past her lips. The magnetic pull to him was stronger than ever before and she needed him to go faster. 

He must have sensed it because he picked up the pace, rolling into her with a steady rhythm. Draco’s breath was ragged and his muscles tensed with every thrust. The delicious tension in her belly built rapidly and colors started to pop in her vision. Silver and gold spots, fractals of light like reflections of glass. Draco picked up his pace, leaning back and holding up her hips to slam into her at a punishing pace. She cried out as the pleasure ripped through her, spurring her on intoxicating heights. The pillow behind her head exploded into a cloud of fluff and the window rattled in its frame ominously. With a low feral sounding growl, Draco dropped his head to Hermione’s shoulders, kissing the skin in between panting for air. 

Later when they finally disentangled themselves from each other, she saw the mirror in her room had cracked. 

The next morning she woke up, nose to nose with Draco who was still deeply asleep. She studied him memorizing his features without his guard up and his light eyes watching her back. She laid there relishing the welcome ache between her thighs until the lull of the pillows became too much and she had to sit up or risk sleeping the day away. 

Then it struck her. In a fit of laughter at the very thought of what was to come she leaned in and kissed him. His eyes fluttered open and his lip curled in a whine of not wanting to get up. “Draco, you have a quidditch match today, and you’re already late.” 

There was a beat of silence before he shot up from the bed. “ Fuck! “ he scanned around the room for his clothes, summoning them with his wand, swearing up a monologue under his breath. He had his pants halfway back on when he caught her watching him, trying not to laugh. “ You and your tits are distracting Granger. “ He started on his jeans again, glanced over at her sideways and grinned “ But I have ten minutes if you do…”

“Go!” she laughed. “ I’ll see you tonight after the party.”

“Party?”

“You’re not going to lose with your soulmate in the stands are you?”

He stared at her. “You are so...incredibly sexy…” He leaned over the bed and kissed her. “Come with me to meet my mother next weekend, in Hogsmeade. “His forehead pressed to hers. “Please” he added as she rolled her eyes. 

“Go. Win. We’ll talk about it later.” 

“There will be no time for talking later - “ 

Pansy’s voice cut through the door. “ Draco the entire team is waiting for you out here! “

He pulled his jumper on over his head and stuck his head out to the common area. The outburst of cheering, catcalling and whistling from behind the door confirmed that in fact, the entire team was waiting on him. Hermione buried her now scarlet face in a pillow 

“Sorry I didn’t think they’d-”

“JUST go!”

Slytherin did win after Draco caught the snitch not even 5 minutes into the match. The house had sorely needed this win after so long and they came down from the stands in mass and flooded the pitch. Pansy shoved Hermione to the center of the crowd, where Draco pulled her to him and kissed her, deeply and passionately in front of everyone. She could feel magic radiating from him as his eyes shown silver. 

“ You did that so I have to meet your mother now, it’ll be all over the place.” 

He raised an eyebrow. “ Partly. I mostly just wanted to kiss you.”

****

It turned out to be a relief that Harry and Ron were at a portion of their Auror training where they were in limited contact with the outside world. While it hadn’t reached the papers yet, the school was certainly a buzz with gossip and she was sure if Draco hadn’t told her, Narcissa knew exactly who he’d be referencing in all those letters. 

The week leading up to the meeting with the matriarch had become a blissful blur of time speeding by. This time they were just students, dating, sneaking into alcoves and broom closets in between classes, studying in the library side by side, soulmate research having been put on hold temporarily and late nights spent in her bed sharing stories from the past and hopes for the future. 

But now it was Saturday morning and once again she was standing in front of the recently repaired mirror, in dark green robes that went up to her collar and down to her ankles. Pansy charmed the top to fit Hermione’s bustier frame. 

“This seems a bit extreme.” Hermione pulled at the collar a little bit. 

“You have a love bite on the top of your shoulder and two bruises glamored on your hips. Would you like to show Narcissa the evidence that you’re having rough closet sex with her son?” Pansy swatted Hermione’s hand away from the collar. “ Maybe you should have thought about this before trying to consume each other all week. “

Hermione flushed at that. “ Alright, I suppose you have a point. “ 

When Draco met her at the gate to walk to the village Hermione noted though Draco wasn’t wearing robes. He still had donned a black oxford and formal trousers. When they approached Madam Puddifoots tea shop, currently decked out in tacky amounts of orange and black streamers and pumpkins. 

“Here?”

Draco shrugged “ Hogsmeade isn’t that big and uh...I’m not allowed in The Three Broomsticks ...Rosmerta threw her cat at me last time.”

“The whole cat? Just ...tossed it? “ Hermione giggled. 

“I’m glad you think that’s funny. Whatever happened to that orange menace you had anyway?“ Draco held open the door to the tea shop.

“He lives with my parents now.” It wasn’t a total lie, just an omission that with her parents meant Australia and conveniently leaving off the part where they didn’t know where Crookshanks had come from. There was no need to bring that up now.

Narcissa Malfoy was dressed head to toe in rich sapphire blue robes, blonde hair pulled into a bun on the back of her head with, sipping tea in the cramped shop as if it were tea with the queen herself.

“Draco, darling.” she stood to kiss him on the cheek and then held out her hand to Hermione. “Ms. Granger I’m delighted to meet you properly. I should have known Draco wouldn’t settle for anyone less than the brightest witch of your age. “

“Just earlier this year you seemed to think I was lesser because I’m muggle-born.” Hermione couldn’t help it, she wasn’t going to dance around it forever. 

Narcissa’s eyebrows raised and she exchanged a look with Draco. “ I do sincerely apologize for our part in that Ms. Granger. As it would turn out I do not think any less of you for being muggle-born, I actually think more highly of you for adjusting to our world the way you have and then your efforts to save us all." 

“Thank you?... Thank you.” Hermione was caught off guard by the high praise when she had expected some sort of excuse or dig at her heritage. 

Narcissa grinned a smile of perfect pearly white teeth and slid back into her seat with perfect grace. They sat in silence for a moment with only the sounds of cups of tea being made. Draco seemed to be determined to look anywhere but the two women he was seated next too. Narcissa asked about Hermione's classes and what she hoped to specialize in, to which Hermione explained she'd like to do something in creature rights. 

"Fascinating." was how Narcissa answered before a plate of apple turnovers was left on the center of the table. 

Draco seemed to have finally found his nerve and spoke up. "Did you bring the books mother?" 

"I did." She reached for the pearl beaded clutch at her side. "But first, I should explain. Having an elemental soulmate is incredibly rare and I had no idea it would occur in just the next generation. Had I known I would have urged Draco to be one the lookout for the signs,-”

“Wait.” Draco cut across her “You mean to tell me -”

“Your father and I yes.” The older witches’ ice blue eyes look wistful a second but she spoke again gathering herself. “We’ve made it through what we have for the most part because of our incredible love for each other. The other arrangements that were made for him and I were called off, in hopes we could produce powerful pureblood offspring. ” she squeezed Draco’s hand “ and that is hardly a fraction of what you feel for your children. “ Letting go, she opened her bag and pulled out 2 tiny books and placed them on the table, tapped them with her wand and they grew to normal size. 

One was an ancient black dragon leather-bound reference book and the other was  _ Muggle Literature for the British Witch and Wizard. _

“ Really?” Draco pointed to a red book that had been their first clue. “ This was in our library?”

“Uncle Alphard was a strange one. “ Narcissa shook her head.

“That’s it.” Hermione sucked in a deep breath. “ That’s all we have to go on. “ Draco grabbed her hand under the table and interlaced his fingers in hers. 

“There’s something else…” Narcissa was actually grinning and Hermione couldn’t help but notice that Draco had inherited more features than she thought from her. “This book notes the contraception charms and potions dull the...sensations that come from two soulmates coming together -”

Draco dropped his face to his hands and sighed and Hermione took a sip of tea very slowly to hide her face behind her large cup.

“I just want to impress its importance on you for the time being. You’re both still so young they’ll be plenty of time for that later. Draco, the last thing you need is an illegitimate child before your trial. “ 

“Merlin….mother…”

Hermione heard nothing else, just her heart beating too loudly in her ears. Her hands trembled as she put down the teacup with a clatter but tried to remain composed. 

“Trial?”

“Yes I’m surprised Draco hasn’t told you, he hasn’t been tried yet but he hasn’t been acquitted either. The Ministry is a mess right now but I’m sure by the time it all shakes out we - Where are you going Ms. Granger?” 

Hermione had stood automatically, feeling the need to be on the defense, feeling the need to flee from the entire situation. 

“You mean to tell me, you didn’t mention that ...the whole time? You could still go to Azkaban? what am I supposed to do?” She hit the table in frustration “What am I supposed to do Draco? Just waste away waiting for you?”

He looked at her pleadingly, eyes wide and misty. “ I would never ask you to wait -”

“You. are. my. Soulmate. Our magic is all intertwined and mixed up by this crazy, shitty set of circumstances and you were just weren’t going to say anything until when? Draco I can’t….I can’t do this…”

Hermione left the tea shop and broke into a run once she hit the street.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She finally looked at him and smiled weakly. “ I suppose...Oh wait, no, Draco counter-clockwise” She grabbed his hand that was starting a slow stirring motion. 
> 
> All of a sudden the jolt of magic shot through him, racing through his veins, heating his skin. Hermione must have felt something too because her cheeks pinked up and her eyes met his, her lips parted, drawing his eye. Her hand lingered on his before she jerked it away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At lil bit of angst, a lil bit of love and a dash of mystery. Enjoy!

A school of silvery fish darted past the window to the Black Lake in the Slytherin common room, there scales reflecting the low candlelight that glowed in eternal illumination. Draco was taking part in age-old tradition to the house, which was to push a piece of furniture against the window and stare in the dark depths of the lake in contemplation. Of course on this particular occasion, he had a bottle of whiskey in hand, tumblers long abandoned as an unnecessary middle man. 

All the other students were asleep, and the room was blissfully silent. At some points Draco nodded off, head pressed against the glass but it would never last.

It had been two weeks now since he had slept properly. He’d spent the night before they went to see his mother. He'd wrapped around her, skin to skin, feeling the magnetic pulse of their magic radiating between them. 

He hadn’t been able to catch her when she ran out of the tea shop and she wouldn’t let him into the Head Girls dorm and had even threatened Pansy not to let him on pain of being on the other end of her wand. The only thing he was able to do was to hand Pansy the black leather-bound book his mother had brought from home. Granger had avoided him at all costs after that, refusing to speak to him if she was forced to acknowledge him in classes. 

Apparently, she was going to pretend the whole thing between them never happened. There was no magic between binding them together and she was sleeping just fine, probably curled up in those fucking shorts, dreaming of Weasley. 

He was stuck struggling to sleep, struggling with even intermediate spells and every class except potions, couldn’t focus on Quidditch. Couldn’t do shite now that he’d fucked Granger within an inch of her life. 

He’d do it all again too.

His mother had written asking how things had resolved, her words mixed with concern over the scene at the tea shop and relief that he could now “focus on what needed to be done” but he hadn’t the energy to write her back. 

At some point, he must have drifted off or stared into space so long it was something close enough to sleep because he was startled awake by a pair of protuberant light blue eyes staring at him. 

Luna Lovegood was inches from his face studying him with an unusually serious expression on her face.

“He’s alright Theo...physically at least...it’s just all this- “ She waved her hands through the air around him. Theo moved in next to Luna, wrapping an arm around her waist but didn’t acknowledge her strange movements.

“Still pining over Granger?” he asked as a cocky smirk bloomed across his face.

“I am not  _ pining  _ -” 

“You are. You’ve got it bad Draco, but then again I can’t imagine life without this beautiful, quirky soul next to me.” He kissed Luna on the cheek and she grinned at him. 

“We have a few minutes before we have to be at breakfast- “ Luna bit her lip as Theo hoisted her over his shoulder. 

“That sounds like a challenge. See you in a minute Draco.” And carried the blonde back into the Slytherin boys dormitory. 

Draco sighed, rolled his eyes and continued his Sunday, carefully avoiding ...well everyone. 

Monday was reserved for potions on Draco’s schedule. It was one of the few things he was still confident he could get a N.E.W.T in and had a double lesson in the morning with the other 7th and 8th and then the afternoon to study or finish brewing whatever he started while the first years floundered through whatever they were doing. They were too scared to bother him so the arrangement worked in his favor. 

Of course, this morning, of all the fucking mornings to ever have existed, Slughorn paired them up in predetermined pairs. He looked at Draco with one significant eyebrow raise and he knew

He just fucking  _ knew _ it for the arse kissing bastard even said it. 

“Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger, you’re quite the pair.”

_ Fuck you and your mustache, you fucking-  _

“Hi,” she said coming to his table and not even looking up at him. 

“Hi,” he answered back, kicking himself internally for not coming up with a better response. Or any other response for that matter. 

They worked in silence for the first half an hour, falling back into familiar rhythms. He tried not to look at her, tried not to notice the bags under her eyes or the way her shoulders hunched forward. Even her hair lost some of its volume over the last couple of weeks. 

“I’ve been reading the book your mother brought.” she mumbled eventually “Unfortunately the author took at a stance from purely a “superior pureblood lineages and powerful offspring” point of view but the theory is sound but I think I’d like a new study with a varied sample size cross-referenced with-” 

“Granger, can we circle back to that?” 

“Right, so apparently most people seem to feel one natural element calls to them more than others, it appears in significant moments in there lives. But this encompasses so many things especially in the magical population that often people with similar elements won’t ever meet That’s what Bronte meant when she said: “ Whatever souls are made of his and mine are made of the same things.” Hermione dropped the fire crab eggs in the potion one by one watching it turn to a bright orange before speaking again. “ I’ve thought about it and I think mine is silver, like how that potion turned before it ...turned to grey.” She tucked a curl behind her ear and looked the opposite way. 

Draco glanced at her and resolutely down at the potion, silently begging it to cool faster so he could stir it and be done. “The potion was gold, remember? And that seems right. Galleons, snitches ...the Golden Girl…” 

She finally looked at him and smiled weakly. “ I suppose...Oh wait, no, Draco counter-clockwise” She grabbed his hand that was starting a slow stirring motion. 

All of a sudden the jolt of magic shot through him, racing through his veins, heating his skin. Hermione must have felt something too because her cheeks pinked up and her eyes met his, her lips parted, drawing his eye. Her hand lingered on his before she jerked it away. 

Intense desire was coursing through him but he bit it back, building hasty occlumency walls when she shivered. 

“What  _ is  _ that?”

“You can feel that? I just used Occlumency...for reasons…” 

“Yes, it feels like someone dumped ice water on me. Why did you...oh…” 

He cleared his throat and focused on the almost complete potion. “ Right well- “

“What class do you have after this?” she looked up at him through her lashes “You need to come back and get your book, and I think...I think we need to talk. “ 

Draco was determined to not let her know how badly he wanted her, to hide the waves of longing now crashing through him.

_ Nothing. I’m not doing anything for the rest of forever, what do you need?  _

“I’ll stop by your room tonight, after dinner? “ he heard his own voice say against his will.

“Yes, that works for me too. “ She shifted herself on the stool and they fell back into the comfortable quiet.

* * *

He was at her door at 7 pm sharp and she ripped the door open before he’d finished knocking. 

She took a wide step back from him when he was all the way in. She was wearing the red jumper he’d first kissed her in and jeans, that stretched across her thighs and backside in a way that made him want to forsake wizarding robes forever and beg her to join him. 

“We should talk out here, I think it’ll be easier to have a conversation if we’re not...distracted. “ Hermione gestured to the couch but kept standing even as he moved to sit. Mild panic was rising at what she might have to say so he sat and waited in silence. 

“I panicked...when I learned about the trial, and I should have talked to you about it. It’s true that I never asked you point blank “Oh have you been tried for your...part in the war” I just assumed you had. I just...I never expected to ...have a soulmate and I know you didn’t either and I still haven’t told Harry and Ron about us, don’t look at me like that they’re going to find out one way or another. “ She put her hands on her hips and started pacing “ The thing is...the thing is...I can’t lose anyone else...not after what I did to my own parents…” 

“What-” he started but she cut across him quickly, tears pouring from her own face, failing to stifle the sobs in between words. 

“I erased myself from their memories, gave them new identities and sent them to Australia before we went on the run. I found them but I couldn’t bring myself to ...undo it, and I don’t even know that I can. I’m more scared of the consequences that I try and it doesn’t work. “ 

And with the confession, even the ever strong Hermione Granger crumbled into tears. Her knees started to give way but Draco was to her in two quick strides, holding her to him, her weight leaning against his chest.

It felt right to have her this close again and the magnetic pulse that had been passing through him since walking in the door had finally quieted.

“I should have told you but I didn’t know when the right time was. I fell so hard and fast for you Draco, I didn’t know which way was up. “ Her arms lowered from the defensive position against her face to wrap around him. “ And I’m scared to lose you.”

He stole a moment to bury his nose in her curls that were coming to life from the magic between them. The natural floral scent that was her mixed with the apple smell of her shampoo filled his senses. “ I’m not going anywhere “ even though he knew it could be a lie, he wasn’t going anywhere, not for the moment. 

* * *

The rest of November passed into a fall scented haze, leading swiftly into the usual frigid December snows. Their new relationship slipped back into it's old ways as if it had never been disturbed. On the second Saturday of the month, Draco had won another Quidditch match for Slytherin ( this time against Gryffindor) but instead of partying in Dungeons with the rest of the house, they'd retreated up to Hermione's bedroom to celebrate privately. 

"I think you could go professional if you wanted too.” Hermione kicked her shoes off, and stretched out on the bed, grinning at him playfully. 

"Hhhmm….that'd be nice I suppose. " Draco pulled her legs to the edge of the mattress so that her bum was on the very edge. With a deft flick of a button and a few well-placed tugs he freed her from her jeans and knickers in one go. Hermione shivered at the sudden cold but watched him sink to his knees and trail his lips along her thighs.

" I'm serious. Ron was always going on about how a good seeker is worth their weight in Go- gold. " she choked on the last word as her body shook against Draco's languid tongue delving in and out of her and flicking up to her clit. 

"Let's not talk about that right now." He didn't want to discuss the redhead or the future he was too busy enjoying the taste of victory, and Hermione on his tongue. Repeating the pattern, she moaned and tangled her fingers in his hair, tugging lightly making him sigh heavily against her before diving deeper. 

Then there came a high pitched shout from the common area of the dorm. Her eyes glanced towards the door and then down to him hesitantly. Before he could say anything the sound of a male voice shouting back and a then the unmistakable baritone of Neville trying to smooth things over. 

“What the fuck -” Draco muttered, grabbing Hermione’s pants as he stood. The witch slid back into them quickly. When she opened the door to see what was going, she gasped and darted back behind the door. 

“Uh. Well, Ron and Harry are here. It looks like Pansy was trying to jinx them out of the dorm and they weren’t having it.”

Irritation burned at his nerves. “Who the hell do they think they are then? If you’re busy they can sod right off until you’re not.” He gripped the door handle when he hands covered his.

Her lip was bleeding from where she worried it but her touch was gentle on his skin. “We’ll go out there, together and deal with this. I just need you to remember that they are like my brothers and they’ll want to protect me. I know you’ll probably never get along just... don’t fight, especially because of your trial.“ 

Something in his face must have betrayed the slight edge of nerves he felt because she placed a quick kiss on his mouth. “You're the one in here with me, and you’ll be the one, hopefully, coming back in here with me after we've met with them. You are the silver I see when I need a sign...you don’t need to be jealous of them. " Hermione pushed open the door and without looking, took his hand in hers as she lead the way out. 

Weasley and Potter we're standing in the small open living space, with Potter casting a shield charm around them. Longbottom was standing in the middle of the room staring at a livid Pansy, whose wand was trembling in her hand, pointed at the three of them. 

"Oh thank god you two have finally finished. " Pansy snapped, her voice uneven. "I'm leaving for a few hours and the only Gryffindor I want to see when I get back is the one who actually lives here. " 

Hurt flashed across Neville's face. "Pans-" 

"No. I don't want to hear it. I'm gone. Good luck in this fucking lion’s den Draco. " In a few quick strides, she was out of the room, the sound of the door slamming shut still ringing behind her. 

Neville looked at the other occupants in the room, licked his lips nervously and nodded reaffirming something to himself. 

“Right I’m gonna go. Don’t kill each other. “ 

As soon as his foot had cleared the door, Potter lowered the shield but didn’t put away his wand. Both of them looked taller and fitter than previously but then again, it had been years since they’d been this close in a Voldemort free world. 

Weasley was an unnatural shade of pink as he spoke first. “ We were worried about you ‘Mione. We came to watch the Quidditch match and we didn’t see you and then you weren’t in the library or common room with everyone else. We’d heard rumors about this but I didn’t want to believe it .” His watery blue eyes met Draco’s and his lip curled in disgust, and the blond threw the same look right back at him. 

Hermione drew her shoulders up tall and tilted her chin. “I don’t know what rumors you’ve heard and there’s been enough about the 3 of us I would hope you wouldn’t believe most of them. It’s true that Draco and I are together and...that’s that. “

Potter sighed and shifted looking from the sickly looking Weasley to Granger. “ Okay, I’ll ask it; how and why? “ 

“We started studying together and things just sort of fell into place. “ Draco smirked because the lie of omission was such a Slytherin move.

“Are you sleeping with him ?” Weasley asked in a toneless voice.

Hermione’s cheeks reddened but she didn’t back down. “That’s none of your business Ron.” 

He snorted and turned on his heel. "Disgusting. I have to go vomit. Let's go, Harry." 

Potter shook his head "You go on. I'm going to get to the bottom of this, no matter how many gross images come to mind. " Weasley left and the other wizards gaze never left the pair. The door slammed shut for the final time and Potter closed his eyes and exhaled. 

"So tell me what really happened?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “This time last year, I wasn’t even sure I would live to see another Christmas. We were losing...Ron was gone I didn’t even know if he was alive. “ Draco turned on his side to look her in the eye and found there were a few quiet tears rolling down her cheeks. “ I never thought I’d spend Christmas in the arms of my soulmate, of the man I love.” She lifted her fingers to toy with his hair. “When I asked what you wanted for Christmas you said “you”. You got me Draco, you don’t have to say it back but I love you. And I’m guessing by the grin that you feel the same way.” she sniffed and gave a watery laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suck at regular updates? but I promise I won't leave you hanging

Harry raked his hands through ebony hair and bounce his foot nervously as Hermione wrung out her hands after finishing her explanations of everything that had happen even as far back as March at Malfoy manor. Ginny had caught him up on what happened at the party with the potion but after only bringing up once to Ron and getting laughed at, didn’t bother to mention it again.

“So you believe me?” her voice was laced nerves no matter how times she internally reminded herself that Harry was her oldest friend and wouldn’t think any less of her, no matter how mad it all sounded.

“Hermione, I spent the better part of my life thus far with someone else’s soul in me, and you expect me to think the idea of  _ soulmates  _ is crazy? Of course, I believe you. I just can’t believe of all people it’s Malfoy.” 

Draco, who was sitting in one the of beat up armchairs that dorm had come with, arms folded, merely looked up at her with mild curiosity like he was wondering how exactly she’d respond to this. 

“It’s Malfoy - Draco, it’s Draco, I know it, my instincts are telling me so and I trust that I have to, sometimes...especially without you two here, that’s all I have. “ Her fingers twisted together as her stomach finally let go of the knot building there. Feeling emboldened by her own words she perched herself on the arm of the chair where the brooding Slytherin sat. He unfolded his limbs and pulled her down to sit in his lap, resting his hand right the in the dip of her waist. 

Harry gave another exasperated sigh and brought his hands together. “ I trust you, Hermione. I trust that if you need us you’ll let me know and I’ll be here just as soon as I can, I also trust you to hex the bits off this fucker if he gets out of line. You’ve been awfully quiet over there Malfoy, it’s a good look for you.”

There was an irritated twitch of the hand on her hip. “Well, I’m not about to pick a fight with the golden hero who lived or whatever it is they are calling you these days, over something Granger is doing so a brilliant job explaining despite its complexities. “

“My gods...Malfoy did you just compliment someone other than your own reflection? You must have it bad. “ Harry looked to Hermione “We’re having a celebration at the Three broomsticks if you want to come down. “ 

She smiled and touched the hand resting on her side. “ I think...I think Draco and I are going to celebrate here together. Why don’t you go on and I’ll be there next time?” Her thumb ran over his knuckles and she heard him swallow hard behind her. 

Harry’s face twisted into a half grin half grimace. “ I don’t need any more details. You look happy Hermione, just don’t be a stranger yeah? “

There was an exchange of goodbyes and a one-armed friend hug from Harry before he went off the catch up with the others. Hermione turned back to Draco and looked up at his tense expression nervously. 

“You see? Nothing to worry about. Now I believe we were in the middle of something we should get back too? “ Her finger traced a line down the center of his chest “ unless you’d rather do something else to celebrate but somehow I doubt that.” 

Draco just gave her a wicked looking grin, took her hand in his and practically dragged her back to her room. 

* * *

Hermione cracked open the door to Pansy’s bedroom, letting in just enough light to see.

“Pansy...are you alright?”

“Go away, Granger. Tell the professors I’m ill or something .” She tucked her face into the pillow even tighter. 

“Alright. I have a minute do you want to talk about it?” 

“No, I don’t want to bloody well talk about it to miss wonderful golden girl with her fucking new perfect relationship -”

“It’s far from perfect-”

“I said I’m ill Granger. Bye now!” 

****

  
  


“Was Neville in Herbology? “ Hermione took the empty spot next to Draco on the bench at dinner. 

Draco gave her a mildly confused look and went back to  _ scorgifying  _ his fingers. “No. It’s still strange to be taking a class your not, for the record.”

“I’ve had enough of the outdoors for a while. Pansy was acting strange this morning and now Neville’s missing. Wonder what they had there row about. “ Hermione flicked her wand at Draco’s hands, cleaning them instantly. “Hurry up and eat so we can get started on studying.”

“Tetchy tonight aren’t we?” Draco mumbled picking up his fork. 

“Nervous about midterms,” she admitted shoveling a roasted potato in her mouth. 

“Speaking of which…” his slate eyes looked straight ahead instead of directly at her, “ What exactly were you planning on doing for the holidays? “

Hermione chewed slowly thinking of how to phrase her response carefully. She hadn’t wanted to go back to the Burrow anyway but now she wasn’t sure if she’d ever be welcomed back into the family home. Harry would be spending Christmas and New Year with Ginny there for sure. Her new plan had been staying at the school and getting some career advice from the professors and maybe getting a head start on her study schedule for finals. Something about the way Draco was holding himself made her wonder if he was going to offer to stay at the manor with him and his mother, but that- that was not something she was ready for on multiple reasons. 

“I’m staying here. I want to get a jump on my studying for finals.” she finally answered. 

“Right. Of course. “ he nodded and didn’t bring it up again. 

* * *

A week later, tired from a long night of patrols, cold from the December air blowing through the castle, and annoyed from a group of first years having smuggled in a positively heinous amount of stink pellets and set them all of in a single corridor, Hermione had just touched her door handle when she heard footsteps pounding down the hallway. 

Draco, still in his school things from a long session in the library was pelleting down the corridor to her door, with a look she’d never seen before on his features.

“What’s wrong love? I thought I’d see you tomorrow night -”

He shook his head and cut her off. “Longbottom’s been taken to the hospital wing. ”

“Oh?”

“Pansy! She probably has whatever he has-”

“Oh! Yes! You’re right.” Hermione inserted the head girl badge into the lock and let him into the dorm. She dropped her bag and kicked off her shoes watching Draco bang on Pansy’s door with gradually increasing worry. Normally the Slytherin witch would be out there in heartbeat, wand brandished in front of her despite the annoyed expression. 

“Pansy! Pans! “ he kicked the door out of frustration. “I’m coming in, don’t act modest now. “ he shouldered the door open with his wand pointed up. Hermione felt the sensation of panic building in her veins as there was no light or sound. She heard Draco mumble a “ _ Lumos.”  _ and then “ Oh..shit… Pans…”

Hermione was there before he could call for her. Pansy was in an emerald nightie with a sleep mask pushed upon her forehead. Her hazel eyes were squinting in the wand light but even from that, she could tell her face was drained of color. 

Draco put the back of his hand on her cheek. " You're burning up Pansy. Come on, hospital wing." 

A pearl-like tear rolled down her cheek. " Draco. Couldn't magic note to you. How'd you know?" 

He hesitated. " Things were getting too quiet around here. Come one let’s get you up. “ He took off his outer robe from his shoulders. “ You can use this to cover up, can you walk?”

Sitting up and groaning she swung her legs out of over the edge of the bed. “I’d have to be good and unconscious to let you carry me up to the hospital wing.” Hermione hid her body more behind the door knowing how the other witch would hate it if she knew she was watching. “Even then please levitate me. “ 

Pansy did need to lean on Draco as they carefully shuffled through the hall, Pansy clutching the overlarge robe closed and holding her nose up with an air of haughtiness. Hermione watched them go with something strange tugging at her heart. Watching him take care of his best friend like that made her strangely happy, perhaps because it was a side she never saw of him.

That night she left the dormitory door unlocked, in case Pansy needed to come back or, she hoped to herself, Draco would come to her. 

Her hopes came true as she felt the mattress bend beneath her as he settled in, wrapping his arms around her possessively. Her magic tingled at the contact and her heartfelt full with an overwhelming sense of contentment and peace. Snow was falling on her window sill, shining silver in the moonlight.

“Draco, what do you want for Christmas?”

“Mmm...you.” he didn’t lift his head and Hermione suspected he wasn’t even quite awake. 

“Okay. I can do that. “ 

* * *

Draco tossed the little scroll from hand to hand nervously pacing around the common room, killing minutes until it wouldn’t be weirdly early for him to be at dinner. 

All the students would be leaving tomorrow morning for the winter break and Hermione with just a handful of others would be staying at the school. This scroll contained one of her Christmas presents she had explicitly said not to get her. But it would be too strange to send it in the post after he left. 

Maybe he could mail to her from across the Great Hall.

Maybe he should just chuck it at her and run.

No, she’d find him eventually and hex him to hell and back. 

So he found himself at dinner, making mindless Quidditch chatter with she-Weasley of all people, fidgeting with the tightly wrapped scroll in his pocket. 

Hermione’s clever gaze never missed anything. Her dark eyes met his for just a moment when she mentioned she wanted to show him something in a book she left up in her dorm. Weasley rolled her eyes and made a fake gagging noise. 

“You need a new code, Hermione.”

“The codes not for you Ginny. As Head Girl, I can’t just flaunt rule-breaking.”

“And yet - “

“Have you seen Neville yet? Last I heard he and Pansy were still in the hospital wing.”

Weasley nodded and swallowed her giant bite of dinner. “They’re both doing better, Pomfrey got the fixed up but wants them to stay until tomorrow. No one will talk about what happened.”

“Strange. I suppose it’s none of our business then.” She turned back to him drumming her fingers nervously. “ Done?”

“Yes. Impatient aren’t we?” he quipped to cover his nerves and lets his fingers trace down her back. There was more gagging from Weasley as Hermione rolled her eyes but stood up.

When they reached her door, Draco stopped and pulled her to him, bringing her in for a long lingering kiss. She hummed with contentment and his tongue darted out to taste her lips, cupping her face in his hands and letting his fingers intertwine with the curls on the back of her neck that made her shiver. 

“Well, let me get the bloody door open.” she laughed running her hand down his chest giving him the lightest shove back so she could undo her Headgirl badge and insert it into the lock. 

“No, actually. Not tonight I wanted to give you something and then...let you think about it...without me...because you can say no though I’d really rather you didn’t. I mean-”

“Draco, what is it?” Her eyes widened even more in alarm when he reached in his inner pocket “What are you going to ask?” 

He held out the scroll to her. “That’s the address to the London flat my mother and I will be spending the holidays at. The manor is being ...renovated, we won’t be going there. McGonagall already said you can use her Floo to come and go as you please. “

She unrolled the scroll and quickly read the address. “You want me to spend Christmas with your family?” she sounded as if she’d never heard of the concept.

“I want you to spend some of the holidays with me and my mother, if you’re comfortable, so you don’t have to be here alone.” Draco quickly cupped her face again and pressed another kiss into her mouth the pressed his forehead to hers. “If not, I’ll see you when I get back.” He turned and quickly walked away, too nervous to look back at her. 

* * *

The owl post that came the morning of Christmas eve contained two hastily scribbled letters; one from Mr. Foxworth saying he would be coming by the day after Christmas which made a wave of tension creep up his shoulders, but the second letter was from Hermione saying she’d come through the Floo at 4 pm, instantly pushing the solicitors visit from his mind. 

Overall, the evening was uneventful. Narcissa was, as always the gracious host and acted as if the later half the tea shop incident never happened. The two of them walked hand in hand around Muggle London, Hermione recounting stories from her childhood or pointing out her favorite places to eat or things she’d read about. One of his presents to her was a shopping spree in a huge book store which was an expedition that took them until the store closed. 

The fire was burning low in the small fireplace in the bedroom when the nearby church bells cut through the silence, ringing in midnight and the start of Christmas day. Hermione looked up from the brand new copy of  _ Wuthering Heights  _ and nudged Draco who was reading  _ Hogwarts, A History  _ for the first time at her insistence.

“It’s Christmas.” She whispered, sliding her bookmark in place and putting the book on the bedside table. Leaning over to him, she kissed his cheek and whispered again “I can give you my present now.”

Draco dropped the book with a clatter on the table on his side, not even bothering to mark his spot. “Present? Where? “ he could feel her smile against him, as her fingers trailed across his chest until they got to the unhealable scar Potter had left almost 3 years ago. 

“This time last year, I wasn’t even sure I would live to see another Christmas. We were losing...Ron was gone I didn’t even know if he was alive. “ Draco turned on his side to look her in the eye and found there were a few quiet tears rolling down her cheeks. “ I never thought I’d spend Christmas in the arms of my soulmate, of the man I love.” She lifted her fingers to toy with his hair. “When I asked what you wanted for Christmas you said “you”. You got me Draco, you don’t have to say it back but I love you. And I’m guessing by the grin that you feel the same way.” she sniffed and gave a watery laugh.

But Draco couldn’t feel the grin spread across his face or the bed underneath him. All he could feel was the pounding of his heart and the magic singing through his veins. He needed to do or say something...anything... _ move you idiot.  _

His lips collided with hers as his hand frantically pulled her closer to him. He flicked his tongue against her bottom lip savoring the taste of her, one hand cupping the back of her neck the other sliding down her back to grab her arse and push her hips flush with his, so she could feel him, feel how much he wanted her so she would know, she had to know.

He pulled back just enough to mumble “I love you too. “ Hermione let out what was half a sob, half a laugh. Reaching back behind him he grabbed his wand from the table and cast the contraception charm on himself and her and tossed it back. “I love you.” He tugged at her pajama bottoms in a wordless question and she nodded in response, letting him peel the offending clothing off, kissing every inch of skin he could touch. 

She sighed against his shoulder as moved from her lips down her neck, paying extra attention to those spots that made her shiver. Her fingers bit into the flesh of his arms as if she was afraid to let go and her hips opened so that they wrapped around his, and they just  _ fit _ like two pieces to a puzzle. Her arousal was obvious through the thin fabric of her knickers and as much as he just wanted to shove them to the side and push into her, this was supposed to be “ her present.” so he lifted away from her. 

“Tell me what you want...show me.” He swallowed nervously as she pushed his shoulders motioning for him to lay flat. Straddling on a leg on either side of his hips, she banished the rest of their clothing with a mumbled spell and aligned herself above him. She blew out a nervous breath. 

“I’ve never...like this -” she admitted. 

He smirked. “ I think you’ll like it, just take your time. “ He rested a hand on the back of either thigh and she sunk down on to him, gasping and rocking her hips. Her wet heat was the most amazing feeling as she took him all in, steadying herself by resting her palms on his chest. A moan escaped from somewhere deep within her as her chin titled back and eyes fluttered shut. 

“Draco I- “

“Sshhh. Just do what feels good.” He pushed a bundle of curls over her shoulder and groaned as her hips lifted and fell again. She repeated the motion, picking up speed each time, the rhythm becoming more erratic. A flush bloomed on her chest and neck as her cunt fluttered around him. Their magic was hummed in unison. 

“You look so good like this Hermione, riding my cock. Come for me. “ she shook her head but wouldn’t look down at him. He gripped her chin lightly to bring her gaze to his. All he saw was the fire burning in her amber eyes. She let out a breathy moan and picked up speed, bucking against him, her core tightening. 

The sensation of his own orgasm was quickly building and something in the pull of the magic between them was growing. 

Hermione’s hips stuttered to a halt as bit her lip stifling a scream. The fire went out in the fireplace and her abandoned pillow burst into a cloud of fluff as her orgasm crescendo. Collapsing against his chest she panted " I love you. I love you. " His own release followed immediately and his vision went dark for a few seconds. 

" I love you, Hermione. I love you." 

* * *

Mr. Foxworth peered up over his glasses and examined the witch and wizard across from him. Seated in the small office in the townhouse, the couple sat opposite a desk from the solicitor. Draco ran his thumb absentmindedly over Hermione's hand entwined in his. She was in full " research and fight " mode with all her hair piled up on her head with a quill and notebook poised. 

" We'd appreciate your discretion about this ." Draco stared at the older wizard. 

" Of course. " He nodded sharply. " I'll get right too it, your number is up Mr. Malfoy. The Wizengamont wants to start the process of your sentencing on January 30th. Most acts that happened after the downfall of the Ministry are being expunged but there’s still a lot...before. " 

" I'm aware. " Draco snapped as the feeling of ice water rushing through his veins rushed through him. 

" Draco didn't have a choice! Voldemort was in his house. His aunt - " Hermione tapped the quill in rapid succession in irritation as Foxworth raised a hand. 

" Ms. Granger, I know. I was working for the Ministry at the time and… I complied with things I would have never fathomed to protect my own wife and children. I can't imagine - " he cleared his throat and started over "There are two roads we can take here, the first one is two plead guilty, show them how remorseful you are. You'll probably get Azkaban time but it'll be shorter and then a lot of house arrest but you'd be done and able to carry on with your life. " 

Hermione sucked in a breath. " And the second?" 

“You fight it. Argue that everything you did was under duress. Toe the line with perfect behavior, be an outstanding citizen and keep donating generously to charity. Show everyone you’re a good kid - excuse me, man. But I’ll warn you now it’ll be a long drawn out process and a press shit storm. Draco, his mother and you Ms. Granger can be expected to be grilled by the press and the law at every turn. It could be years and you might just piss everyone else and end up in Azkaban anyway. I’ll give you time to discuss it of course.” He leaned back and took off his glasses and cleaned them with a flick of his wand.

“Well, of course, we’re going to fight. “ Hermione spoke up at once. “Why wouldn’t we? And I've been harassed by the  _ Prophet  _ and Rita Skeeter before. I'm not afraid of her. I'll stand by Draco no matter what they say. I have a reputation for being quite smart you know, I knew what could happen when I started this relationship what people would say. " She gripped his hand even harder and turned to face him. "We'll fight this right?" 

Before he could answer the sound of someone coming through the Floo went off on the other room. He brushed his lips against the back of her hand. " That's Mother coming back. Would you please go catch her up while I finish up here?"

She blinked at him for a moment and let go of his hand. "Of course. " and left the room. 

Waiting until he was sure she was out of earshot, he turned to the solicitor. " I don't want to fight, I'm not going to drag them for years of shit for nothing. I'm going to plead guilty and go for the short sentence. Under no circumstances are you to tell Hermione or my mother what I intend to do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry? .....Yeah I'm sorry


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He wouldn't. He explicitly said -   
Her breath caught in her throat. He hadn't said anything about how he was going to approach the trial. But surely he wouldn't just give up, he would fight, to stay out of Azkaban and finish school, to get a job, to be with his mother, to be with his soulmate.   
His brows furrowed in his sleep as if someone in his dream were disturbing him. Leaning forward she brushed a kiss on his forehead. "Don't stop fighting now. I need you. You're my soulmate, you prat. "   
Shifting to a more comfortable position one quote kept playing on repeat in her mind.   
Whatever souls are made of, his and mine are made of the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay, I do plan to have this done by the end of April. This is also un beta'd so...sorry about that too.

_ January  _

The second term kicked off with a bang, a rash of black cat flu sweeping through the castle, spreading like wildfire through the students. As a Head Hermione spent even more time patrolling and separating students making out in hallways and the library to try and stop the spreading. Adding this to Hermione’s N.E.W.T course load meant a lot of time spent together in the library again. 

Though Draco was taking fewer tests she encouraged him to spend his extra time building the case for his trial. Most days he would just pick out a book and stare at it halfheartedly or doodle on his parchment or just watch her out of the corner out of his eye. He only really seemed to perk up when the weather was clear enough to fly or when she invited him back to the dormitory. 

One night as he slept curled around her with his head on her chest, his weight and a warmth quelling an anxiety attack she felt coming on earlier, she found herself in deep thought about why he was acting so strange. As her fingers combed through his hair she came to the conclusion that he must be nervous that it wouldn't go his way no matter what, because the only other conclusion was that he was going to take the pleading guilty option, and he wouldn't do that. 

He wouldn't. He explicitly said - 

Her breath caught in her throat. He hadn't said anything about how he was going to approach the trial. But surely he wouldn't just give up, he would fight, to stay out of Azkaban and finish school, to get a job, to be with his mother,  _ to be with his soulmate.  _

His brows furrowed in his sleep as if someone in his dream were disturbing him. Leaning forward she brushed a kiss on his forehead. "Don't stop fighting now. I need you. You're my soulmate, you prat. " 

Shifting to a more comfortable position one quote kept playing on repeat in her mind. 

_ Whatever souls are made of, his and mine are made of the same.  _

* * *

"Pansy, can I ask you something…personal?" Hermione asked gently, scanning the other witch's potions note while Pansy hovered over the same small cauldron she'd used earlier in the year to brew the soulmate potion. 

"You can ask but I may not answer." she retorted, lowering the flames and setting a timer with her wand. 

"What happened to you and Neville before the holidays?" Hermione tried to keep her voice as casual as possible but truly the incident had been weighing on her mind. 

Pansy's mouth twisted in thought before she responded. " I'll tell you but you have to promise not to tell Draco. Nev is worried he'll get teased to hell and back, and quite frankly I don't want to hear it. " Hermione nodded and Pansy sat, smoothing out her skirt under her legs. "So when Potter and Weasley came by to see you and I knew you were  _ busy,  _ I told them they couldn't come in and they needed to come back later. Neville said I should let them in and I reminded him this is as much my space as it is yours. He let them in any way saying it might be important. " 

Hermione nodded and motioned for her to go on. Pansy sighed. "I was upset he ignored my wishes and felt as though he was always going to pick his housemates over me, so I tried to end things. Or rather, I blew up on him." She shrugged and checked the timer. " That night I didn't feel well, and the next morning. By the second day, I was struggling with even the simplest of spells, and by that last day I couldn't even get up." 

"What happened when you got to the hospital wing?" 

Pansy thought for a moment. "It was rather strange. I knew Neville was there without even seeing him, and I went straight for the cot next to his. I remember reaching out for something and when I woke up I was - " a tinge of pink colored her cheeks. " I was holding his hand." 

She cleared her throat and wouldn't look Hermione in the eye, instead focused on the cauldron. After a moment she carried on. 

“Pomfrey babbled on about the war and something about soulmates and she should have expected at least one case this year. I wasn’t listening. I don’t know Granger, I always thought soulmates were just a fun notion. The first time I made that potion it was the summer before 4th year and I was with the Greengrass sisters. I swore up and down it was going to turn grey...and then every year after. But now that I know it’s a relief, but it’s also terrifying. “ 

An ominous feeling churned in Hermione’s stomach at the thought. Maybe it could be different for her and Draco, maybe even if they were separated the would be okay, but a small part of her vowed to double her efforts to keep him out of Azkaban. 

The wand timer went off and Pansy finished her potion silence, put some in a vial and looked up at it in the light. Glancing down in the textbook and back up to the vial she asked: “You’d call that ice-blue right?” 

Hermione took it from her and shook the vial and looked to see if the potion darkened, indicating the ingredients hadn’t simmered all the way, therefor making the sleeping draught less potent. It didn’t at least not to her eye. 

“I think so. I’d ask Draco though, he’s better at certain potions than me, but if you ever told him I said that I’ll deny it.“ 

Pansy laughed quietly. “Don’t worry I wouldn’t dare inflate that ego even more. Where is he anyway?”

“Pitch,” Hermione mumbled flipping the page of her notes. “Again.”

“By himself?“

“Yes. He’s down there more than Ginny. I tried asking him about it but...you know…” 

“I do “ confirmed Pansy. “So if I were in your shoes, and thank Circe I’m not, I would go down there with a blanket with a warming charm on it, put on at least some lipstick and cute knickers, and go….gently get him to...open up. “ She emptied the cauldrons with a tap of her wand and snapped her book shut. “I’m about to take a walk to the greenhouses myself before I go on patrol, so you know its sound advice.” 

Hermione grimaced. “It’s so cold!”

“That’s what warming charms are for Granger!” 

* * *

The sun had already set when he saw her walking the stone path down to the pitch, the light of her wand bobbing with her steps. Her hair stuck out from under a scarlet knit hat and she had a blanket rolled up under one arm but he couldn’t make out the details of facial expression from this height. 

Well, she wouldn’t have brought a blanket if she had come to scold him for being out after dark. 

Draco did a few more laps around the pitch, picking up speed with each one. His hands were already painfully cold despite the best gloves money could buy and tiny icicles clung to his face but he still didn’t want to come down… in case...in case it was the last time.

He had no idea how long they would really send him to Azkaban, but he’d been advised it could be up to a year. He’d gone a year without flying before, without feeling the elements, the wind biting at his skin, losing himself in being weightless until nothing on the ground mattered. 

It was the worst year of his life, thus far, anyway. And this time he was going to lose so much more.

When she had made her way into the center of the pitch, he finally swooped down to her level, brought the broom vertical while both feet still on the kickstand and tried to nab the blanket off her shoulder with one hand. “Thanks, love” 

She held tight but laughed. “No you prat. You’re going to have to come here and have a conversation with me if you want it.”

He made a noise of discontent. “One more hour.”

“You’ll freeze to death.” She put a fist on her hip and tilted her chin, assuming the pose that indicated she was right and she knew it. 

“Fine, make it worth it though, witch.” he cupped her chin in his hand and was about to kiss her when he saw her eyes. In this light none of the warm honey colors that normally shown in them was visible, they were just dark with something indescribable alight within. She was searching, reading, looking for clues. For a moment he wanted to confess everything, to tell her everything he had planned and listen to her sigh and watch the little “v” furrow in between her brows as she scolded him, and he backed out from what might be the first selfless thing the ever attempted to do. 

Instead, he kissed her. Softly, with no intent other than just to feel his lips on hers and the connection between them. She melted into him for a moment then pulled away sharply. 

“I came down here with this whole scheme about laying down this blanket and having a romantic night stargazing, but it’s still too bloody cold. Also, I’m going to need you to shower. “

“Are you saying that I smell?” Draco grabbed her waist and pulled in closer, wrapping his arms around her. She whined and tried to push him away but laughed all the while.

“Yes! Now let me go!”

“But Granger you hurt my feelings!”

“You don’t have feelings. Other than bored, hungry or horny.“ She screwed up her face and grabbed his arms as he felt a stinging sensation zip through him. He yelped and let her go and she backed away, cackling. 

“Did you just wandlessly and silently stinging jinx me?!” 

“Surprised?”

“No...no...it’s more like feeling number three.” 

She grinned widely. “Well then, take a shower and we’ll see what we can do about that!” 

Time did that funny thing, where is slowed unexpectantly and every detail stood out in sharp relief. The way her hair flair out around her shoulder as she turned her head, the way her freckles stood out more when her face flushed with laughter, the sound of her laugh on the cold winter wind. 

There was no way he could drag her through hell again. He’d been responsible for that too many times already. This time he’d bow out and let her be this happy, always this happy and not worried about his arse getting sent to Azkaban for the things he did when he was still terrible to her. 

“Draco? Everything alright?”

“Yeah. I was just wondering how I got so lucky.” 

* * *

The courtroom was packed with spectators and reporters. Most of it was people who wanted to see him hang within the hour, the other portion curious if there was anything they could leverage from his trial. 

They took his wand at the door and it left him feeling much too vulnerable to attack so he kept scanning the crowds, ready to be attacked. There was a murmur of interest when the crowd realized Hermione was with him and his mother on purpose, not just happened to be caught walking beside them. They were escorted to a row of benches for family and witnesses, while Draco was shoved to the front to a table with iron shackles attached to the legs. They clinked at him but then fell limp. While his mother sat and took up her position of staring silently ahead, Hermione remained standing, hovering for just a second, before walking swiftly over to him. 

“Whatever you’re thinking of doing, don’t. Fight Draco, fight yourself, for all we’ve been through, for  _ us.”  _ She laced their fingers together and he felt the now familiar pull when they made contact. He just nodded and looked around, anywhere but her pleading face. She stood up on her toes and tried to kiss him but it caught him so off guard he lurched back and her lips just grazed his cheek. There was a definite uptick in chatter and a few cameras went off. 

Knowing full well the uproar it would cause but not wanting to miss his last opportunity to do it, Draco bent down and kissed her for real, lingering only so the press could get a decent picture. She didn’t touch him but she didn’t pull away either. That was enough. 

The Wizengamont filed in and the room fell silent. It was exactly the way he expected it to go, they dragged up everything they could against him, even his father, Aunt Bellatrix, even a cousin who died before he was born, Regulus, who was a marked Death Eater. But even he had been 17 when he took the mark.

Draco had hardly been a month out from turning 16. This fact was tossed around a lot, like at once he was old enough to be held responsible and at the same time not. Their words became one last garbled mess as nerves took over and his heart thundered loudly in his ears. 

The moment came before he was ready, but he knew he would never be ready for something like this. They asked him to stand as the readout a laundry list of sins including letting the other Death Eaters into Hogwarts, using the Imperius on Rosemerta, and the plots to kill Dumbledore. As they spoke he looked back to where his mother and Hermione sat. 

His mother was staring dead ahead, unable to look at him keep her composure, blue eyes fixed on a single point on the wall as she’d taught him. From deep inside his memory he could hear her screaming at Bellatrix as that chandelier lay in pieces around them, as Voldemort tortured them all for letting Potter escape, and hear her sobbing as she hurriedly kissed his father goodbye as Aurors dragged him from the scene of the Battle of Hogwarts. 

Hermione was perched on the edge of the bench, hands braced on her knees, lips parted as if she were struggling to breathe. Visions of her out on the Quidditch pitch laughing at him, underneath him with her hair spread out around her like a halo, eyes burning with lust that morphed into her trapped underneath Bellatrix screaming for mercy. 

“Mr. Malfoy,” Snapped the irritated voice from the shadows. “How do you plead to the charges presented against you?”

“Guilty .” 

The spectators broke out in a singular shocked gasp before half of them exploded into happy jeers and catcalls. 

“What did he say?” he heard his mother’s voice ask Hermione in disbelief but the response was lost in the crowd. The more the jury called for silence the louder they got. 

“...sentence you to one year in Azkaban starting today, followed by another 6 months of house arrest depending on the behavior - “ 

Two Aurors wrapped in arm in his, as gold bindings brought his hands together at the wrist. 

“No!” his mother was on her feet screaming at their solicitor. The crowd was all on their feet and riotous on all sides. He couldn’t see Hermione through them until he was almost out of the room. 

She broke through like sun through the clouds, but her mouth was a thin line as her lips pressed together. Tears streamed down her face and her whole body was trembling with fury. 

“ Over- “ she mouthed at him before covering her mouth with her hand as sobs overtook. 

It was just as he expected. The only thing he wondered now was how he was going to get through a year in Azkaban knowing for sure she wouldn’t be out there waiting for him. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You can’t die you prat. I need you. I need you to be next to me so I can lecture you and you can roll your eyes and call me a swot. I need you to drag me to Quidditch matches and tell me all the things I don’t know….and then we can celebrate the way you like best.” She half laughed half sobbed. “I need you to wake up so you can be my soulmate.”  
His fingers twitched at her touch. Carefully she put her palm in his and he squeezed her hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH HELLO. As you can see by the summary, no one dies, promise, but what's life without a little drama eh? If things seem a little cut short it's because this thing keeps trying to grow legs and run off different directions. This is my longest fic by far I'm still learning! ( my next longest things are only four parts). Good news? I've learned a lot in this process so thanks for reading up to this point! The even better news? As soon as I wrap this bad boy up my next project is a SMUT FEST so stick around if you're interested. 
> 
> Also if you don't know: Ao3 is no longer counting guest or logged out account hits so if you like something, give it a little heart, kudos or comments doesn't make a difference, writers just want to know you're reading.
> 
> Enough of my rambling!

_ February.  _

Hermione didn't remember taking the Portkey back to Hogwarts, or the walk through the castle back to her dorm. It was like walking through a muted dream, surreal and silent except for her own internal monologue of thought.

She unlocked the door to Pansy, Neville, Ginny, Luna, and Theo, waiting for her -  _ them  _ \- only to watch their faces fall in slow motion. 

"Where…where is Draco?" Pansy asked, looking around Hermione like he might be trailing behind. 

Hermione felt the fragile barrier holding back more tears, shatter. The sobs racked through her, shaking her whole body. 

"If this is a joke, it's sick Granger. " The Slytherin witch snapped. "He's probably having a laugh somewhere. I'll go find him this isn’t funny. " She stood and grabbed her wand. 

"Pans-" Theo said quietly "We always knew this could happen. " 

"Not with Granger's help it wouldn't. I bet his hiding somewhere with that stupid look on his face- " before anyone could raise any more objections, she left the dorm. 

Neville guided Hermione into Pansy's now empty seat and ran a warm hand over her back. "Do you want to talk about it?" 

Choking back a sob Hermione lifted her head from her hands and looked into all imploring faces. These people had been through hell and back too, they deserved to know. 

“He...he pleaded guilty to the things he did before the war, it’s supposed to get him less time in Azkaban, which in this case, ended up being a year.” Several people in the group took in a sharp breath, the other swore out loud. Hermione held her head up as she spoke but kept her arms wrapped around herself. “Everything I researched varied so wildly I couldn’t tell you for sure if fighting would have got him a better deal for sure….but…”

Neville ran his hand over her back again “But what Hermione?” 

She pressed her lips together, trying to keep the words from spilling out and shook her head. It sounded so  _ stupid _ she didn’t dare speak it. 

“You wish he would have tried, for you.” Ginny correctly guessed. Hermione stood abruptly wiping under her eyes with her sleeve and clearing her throat. 

“I don’t feel well. I’m going to bed, you all understand. “ she said not making eye contact with anyone. 

“Wait, just tell me one thing. Did you get to talk to him before he left?” asked Theo, wrapping his arm around Luna’s shoulders. 

“No, why?”

Theo sucked in a breath. “Well, people do better in Azkaban when they have hope right? When they have something to hang on to. Did you say anything like that?” 

“I was able to catch his eye and say ‘I love you, this isn’t over.’ and he nodded. So I’d said so. “ 

* * *

Azkaban was colder than Draco could have ever imagined. Obviously, he knew it would be a cold place, given its geographical location and the dementors, but this was an otherworldly level of being cold. He'd never bothered to visit his father at the isle before. Nothing, absolutely nothing he did relieve him of the persistent cold, though there was no physical evidence of it damaging his person he thought surely he might succumb to frostbite. 

To make things even more impossibly worse, someone had arranged for him to be in the cell across from his father. He’d had to listen to his sobbing breakdown and apologizes for his first full day. Eventually, he’d snapped and screamed at him to shut up, which he did for another full day, then tried to carry on a conversation with him as if they were on some really inconvenient errand together. 

A guard walked through with a rolled-up Daily Prophet and stopped with a smirk dashed across his face. He looked from Draco to Lucius, then back as he tossed the Prophet to Lucius. On the front was the picture of the kiss from the trial, playing on a loop. Even from his view he could he clearly looked like a besotted fool for her. The headline screamed; WAR HEROINE FALLS FOR DEATH EATER BEFORE SENTENCING? DARK MAGIC AT PLAY OR STAR CROSSED LOVERS?” 

Lucius didn’t say anything for a few hours, reading every inch of the Prophet before putting it down and staring across the way at his son. 

“Does your mother know?” he asked finally.

“Yes. They’ve been introduced. She even stayed for- “ Draco cut himself off before delving into that. It was too painful. “Don’t worry, she ended things.” 

“ If-" 

“It’s over Father. I don’t want to talk about it.” He pulled the rat chewed and thin wool blanket over himself and tried to find some warmth. 

* * *

"Ms. Granger." Hermione's eyes snapped open and she sat bolt upright in the chair so fast, it squeaked against the stone floor. 

She was still in the Transfiguration classroom, she'd come in here when it was light and it was now very dark outside. 

Panic swept over her. She had come down here to work on her spell work for transfiguration, then she had patrols and after that, she was going to review charms and history at least. 

Professor McGonagall was watching her scramble to gather her things with a look of concern etched across her serve features. 

"When Mr. Macmillan reported that you'd hadn't arrived to start patrols, I grew concerned. I've known you for eight years and have never ever seen you daydream in the classroom let alone fall asleep in one. Are you quite alright?" 

_ No,  _ she wanted to answer.  _ It feels like my chest is being crushed on the inside, I'm cold and I can't sleep at night-  _

"I'm fine. I don't know what's gotten into me, I apologize - " she gave a protesting book a shove deeper into the bag. When it wouldn't budge she reached in and pulled out a bundled up green and silver scarf and hat. "I ...uh...haven't...I've been a little under the weather I'll admit - " she wrapped the scarf around her. It still smelled like Draco and tears pricked at her eyes. 

"Oh well, in that case, you should see Madam Pomfrey as soon as possible. This is a critical time in your academic career as you very well know. It’s easy to get- “ Her eyes linger on the scarf “ distracted by other things and lose track of time- “ 

“Draco is not a distraction, Headmistress.” Hermione had to keep herself from growling the words. 

“Of course not,” she said placatingly. “Perhaps you should get some rest for tonight.” She motioned for her to leave the classroom first. 

“Goodnight Headmistress.” her tone was icier than she intended but she was already in a foul mood before she’d been derailed for the night. 

As soon as she was in her bedroom, she curled up with the scarf and took a deep sniff. How could someone come into her life for such a short time and leave her so utterly helpless? After all, she’d been through, it seemed ridiculous that  _ this _ would be the thing to break her. But the ghost of him stuck up through her memory. The feeling of his arms wrapped around her as they slept in this very bed, the moments of their very first kiss and the sensations that ignited her very being as if she had been waking up from a long sleep. The silver of his eyes when he said: “I love you.”

He was silver and she was gold. So different and so much alike. Strong and valued in their own rights but with time and patience could be woven into something rare and priceless. 

The pieces of the chandelier than had threatened to crush her when she was most helpless shown around her, and he was the only one who had thought to save her. She could even hear Bellatrix screaming and Harry and Ron dueling. 

Now her loneliness threatened to break her the same way and there was no way he could save her this time. 

Hermione clutched the scarf and sobbed even more until she fell into a fitful sleep. 

* * *

“ ‘Mione?”

Hermione opened her eyes despite her protesting head. The sunlight breaking through the window seared right through her and she slammed her eyes shut again. 

“What Ron?” she pulled the pillow over her head muffling her voice. Then it hit her and she ripped the pillow off her face and sat up. “Ron…Harry? What are you doing here?” 

Both wizards were standing awkwardly in her room, Ron holding a copy of the _ Daily Prophet  _ flat against his chest, finger tapping to the picture of her kissing Draco with a screaming headline she couldn’t quite make out through her blurry vision. 

“Wanted to come to check on you after this,” explained Ron. “I guess he wasn’t just a phase...or someone you had to get out of your system.”

“I’m not in the mood for this conversation. I have to get to class.” She snapped, sitting up and straightening the clothes she’d slept in.

“Hermione, don’t freak out. “ Harry said slowly. “Promise?” 

“What? What is it?”

Harry looked at Ron who pulled out his wand and put up a shield around him and Harry. “You slept the whole day. McGonagall let us in because she was worried about you, she wants you to go see Pomfrey no matter what.” 

His words didn’t quite register at first as Hermione continued to rifle through her dresser, though it felt as though her legs might give out underneath her. 

“Oh? What time is it then? “ 

“Almost 5. We got done with training early today which is why we came to check on you.”

Slowly, very slowly it started to dawn on her. “The...whole day….I slept ...oh no…” 

And then her legs did give out, and everything went black. 

She woke up on a cot in the hospital, feeling even worse than she did the last time she managed to open her eyes. It was dark again and when she could focus, saw Ron watching something behind her, rolled up _ Prophet  _ on the empty chair next to him. The sound of two men talking in hushed voices but getting louder came from behind her. She tried to push herself up and Ron saw and tried to help. Once propped up on pillows Harry and a hard-faced man who she’d never seen before stood at the end of her bed. 

“Hermione, this is Gawain Robards, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He’s going to ask you some questions, and we’re going to try to help you.” 

Suspicion overtook her at once. “If you’re here to interrogate me as to if Draco was using Dark Magic on me, he wasn’t.”

“S’not as if he doesn’t have a history,” Ron muttered under his breath. 

“Ronald -” 

“Miss Granger, please.” Robards cut in “It’s just a formality. I’m building a case to bring to the Minister himself. These are challenging times and we’re trying to understand all this old magic and trama that’s been kicked to the surface of our community.” he coughed, looked at Harry who nodded “ And in good conscience, I can’t let an 18-year-old die during a sentence designed to reform him.”

“What do you mean?” her blood ran cold and sent a full-body shiver through her.

“Light your wand for me please,” he said gesturing to the bedside table.

“Why?”

“Please Ms. Granger. Time is crucial here. “ 

Hermione lifted her wand and mumbled “ _ Lumos.”  _ It flickered brightly and faded. She tried to do it again and got the same results. She swallowed thickly. “I...I’m not going to lose my magic am I?” 

“No I think, as long as we kept you in a place like here or St. Mungos you’d be able to maintain it alright, but these are all places designed to enhance your magic. Malfoy is a place designed to dull it…”

Wiping under eyes yet again, Hermione drew in a steadying breath. “Let’s do the interview then Mr. Robards.” 

* * *

The hour-long interview exhausted Hermione so much so she slept all of the following day. When next she awoke, she was freezing cold, despite being buried under two blankets. Madam Pomfrey fussed over her, doing nothing really but forcing her to drink some water and fluffing her pillows. 

“Is there any chance I can get you to eat?” she pressed the back of her hand to Hermione’s forehead.

Just the thought of food made her stomach roll and she shook her head. The matron clicked her tongue and bustles around some more. 

“Is there anything you can do in the meantime? A potion or a …”

“Afraid not. Messing with the soul or a bond is a terrible idea. Break the bond and both of you could end up miserable for the rest of your natural lives, pull too hard one way and you won’t be able to be in separate rooms without pining for the other. These things started when magic was new and the consequences weren’t understood. But now we know so much more.” 

“Can I at least sit in class?” 

The older witch gestured to the door. “You can try. I’ll be surprised if you can make it to the door. “

Determined to prove her wrong, Hermione swung her legs over the edge of the bed and forced herself to stand. Her vision swirled so violently if she had anything in her stomach she would have vomited it. Collapsing back on the bed she threw a dirty look at the nurse and tried again with the same results. Being who she was, Hermione Granger tried 3 mores until her legs felt like lead. At that moment Ginny came through the hospital wing doors.

“I come bearing homework if you can manage it,” Ginny announced, unloading a mountain of books onto Hermione’s bedside table. 

“Of course I can manage.” Hermione snapped.

“Thought as much. Knew if you were conscious you’d want a try at it .” Ginny grabbed an empty food tray and hovered it over her lap. “There you go.” She pulled up a chair while Hermione reached for the first book. 

“So, I hoping to pick that big beautiful brain of yours,” Ginny said making herself comfortable. Hermione nodded and she continued. “Why do you think you’re experiencing all these things while Malfoy is away, and couples like, say...Harry and I...aren’t...I mean...the potion said…” 

“I know Gin. I think it has all to do with where you are. Harry knows you’re safe here, and you know, though he’s at Auror training, he’s not in real danger right?” Ginny nodded. “I know Draco’s in danger and he’s someplace he shouldn’t be. I can feel in ….well in my soul. It’s cold...very very cold, and it’s screaming at me that something is wrong. Ginny, I’m not in this bed by choice. If I could go storm Azkaban I would. “ Hermione sighed and flipped the book open to the chapter she needed, already fighting back a pounding headache. “I don’t know why he did what he did but I am extraordinarily mad, and as soon as he is ok I intend on letting him know. “ 

“Merlin help him.” 

“He’ll be lucky if it’s not a repeat of the third year slap.”

* * *

Hermione ended up the hospital wing another three days, steadily declining more. By the end of the third day, she hadn’t even propped herself up and made an attempt at the piling homework. Ginny came to see her and she could see the concern in the other girl’s eyes. 

“I’m going to see if McGonagall can get a hold of someone and see what’s going on. Hermione, you can’t keep going like this.”

It hurt to speak and her voice cracked as she did so. Her bones felt as if they were made of ice, heavy and cold within her and her chest felt as though it was caving in. “Somethings wrong, really wrong. I can’t explain it. Someone needs to check on Draco.” 

Ginny nodded and Hermione let herself slip under again. The cold was all-consuming now. 

She opened her eyes again to a darkened room with Harry shaking her shoulder. “ We need to go, you’re going to have to Floo to St. Mungo’s.” 

The simple task of stepping through the flames to the other side seemed impossible. “I can’t, Harry.”

“Malfoy’s being taken there. He was unresponsive when they checked on him.” Even her weakened state she could see where he hesitated. “Robards pulled a bunch of strings, this is technically your deathbed visit to him.” 

“Draco.” her voice was a sharp whine even to her own ears. “Help me up.” Harry immediately sprang upon his feet from his hunched position and started to gingerly help Hermione out of the bed. 

She didn’t remember the journey through the Floo and attributed it to blacking out upon arrival to the hospital. Nor did she remember getting brought a bed and transported to the room. What she did remember however was when the door open and she could see him for the first time. He’d lost all the weight and coloring he’d gained back over the course of the 8th year and looked frighteningly skeletal. His sharp cheekbones cut through his face and his eyes were lined in deep circles.

His arm hung off the edge of the bed on the side the put Hermione’s bed on. The mark stood out more starkly than she could ever remember. She let her hand caress over the frigid skin, being the only part of him she could reach. The faint magnetic pull of the bond between them pulsed lightly.

“You can’t die you prat. I need you. I need you to be next to me so I can lecture you and you can roll your eyes and call me a swot. I need you to drag me to Quidditch matches and tell me all the things I don’t know….and then we can celebrate the way you like best.” She laughed sobbed out a laugh. “ I need you to wake up so you can be my soulmate.”

His fingers twitched at her touch. Carefully she put her palm in his and he squeezed her hand. 


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was just like their very first kiss. Warmth rushed through her, colors popped before her eyes, silver, and gold and shining. Elation hummed through her veins and a feeling of belonging swelled in her soul. It wasn’t going to be easy, not in the least, she probably had a whole new war on her hands, but with him she where she belonged. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAHHHH! PLEASE LET ME STICK THE LANDING! enjoy!

Hermione didn't rouse again until she heard a deep familiar voice outside her room. 

"-Highly unprofessional Robards, I can't believe you wouldn't wait for-" 

"You said it yourself we can't lose any more lives to this war Shacklebolt! " 

"Innocent lives!" 

Harry's voice cut in. "We all did what had to do to survive Minster- " 

"Don't get uppity with me Potter-" 

Hermione snorted and shifted herself. The ache that settled in her bones during the previous days was lifting, though she still felt worse for wear. The clock on the wall said it 7 am. 

Draco's arm was still extended by his side though it was obvious someone had come in a put an extra blanket on him overnight. Running her hand over it, his skin did feel warmer which made her give a weak smile. 

"Good morning love. "She whispered. "You hate getting up this early I know. " 

The fighting outside escalated again and she propped herself up on an elbow. "Don't they know that this is a hospital? People are so rude sometimes. You should tell them to shut it. “ She smiled wanly at her own joke. “Wouldn’t that be something...waking up only to tell off the Minister of Magic.” 

At that moment the door swung open to reveal the three people who’d been standing outside.

“You’re awake.” Harry’s face broke out into a huge grin. “ And you look a lot better than you have in weeks.”

“Thanks. Now keep my soulmate from dying so I can stay this way.” she rolled her eyes at him but gave him a small smile. Harry, after all, had been fighting for them. 

“Right. Kingsley- Minister, look - You can’t allow for this to happen again. Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of our age, incapacitated because of an unfair trial. We owe it to her at least to do something. “ At his words, Hermione pulled herself sitting up straight in the bed, trying to not look as incapacitated as Harry made her out to be. “Oh, and you also can’t let Malfoy die.”

Kingsley looked at Hermione, then at Draco for a long minute. Then he turned to Robards. “Assemble a retrial as soon as possible. No press, not a word of this gets out. Find someone in to testify on Malfoys behalf. We’ll retry him with a closed courtroom. POTTER-” he gritted his teeth “You’re to be at Auror training that day you’re too much of news magnet. I am not doing this again not for anyone else. This is all I can do and it’s going to be a shit ton of paperwork. “ He sucked in a sharp breathe “ And I don’t owe you any more favors.”

Kingsley was still growling threats at Robards and Harry when a tingle of magical zipped through her. It was though someone had removed her heaviness from her chest and head in an instant. She turned to look at Draco who twitched but his eyes remained closed.

“And Granger- “ Kingsley rounded on her and paused. “ Why the fuck did you pick Malfoy? Was this some kind of twisted scheme to save him? I know how you are- “ 

“No...sir…” she couldn’t help but glare at the man. Minister or not she couldn’t be intimidated by a man she’d seen play drinking games with, and lose to Sirius Black after Order meetings. “It doesn’t work like that. I wouldn’t be here if I did, I’m surprised you’d think I’d risk my educational future on a crush or pity mission, I thought we understood each other better than that. “ She pulled Draco’s hand into her lap. “I do love him though, and given the time I’m sure he’ll prove to be so much more than what you think he is. And I’m going to keep fighting for him.” She arched an eyebrow and gave her the best imitation of Malfoy smirk and hoped it had the effect she wanted.    
  


Kinglsey pointed a finger at her, then Harry, then Robards and then threw both hands up. “I hope one of you becomes Minister one day so I can I return this stress headache, blooming behind my eyes. I’ve got too much to do- If Malfoy puts a toe out of a line I’m sending him to Azkaban forever myself and Potter and Robards, you can deal with it.” He left the room, grumbling to himself and the heard the  _ crack  _ of apparition at the end of the hall.

Robards looked at Harry, trying not to crack a grin and maintain is “ tough Auror “air even though, the way the corners of his lips twitched he was quite pleased to have gotten his way in the end. “I’m going to get started on rescheduling the trial, hopefully, we can do it….Do you think he’ll recover Hermione? You don’t think we were too late?” 

Looking down to the hand in her lap, Hermione thought she saw him twitch again. “I think he’ll recover, but I really couldn’t say how long that’ll take. Believe me when I say I’ll do everything in my power to get him there. “

“That’s good enough for me.” Robards nodded. “Potter I’ll see you at training on Monday. “ and with that, he left the hospital room. At once Harry looked uncomfortable and Hermione realized she was making patterns on Draco’s hand still in her lap. 

“I’ll go find you a Healer, see you can get some answers -” he mumbled. She smiled and nodded, he returned it and left. 

No sooner had the door clicked shut when she leaped up from the bed, feeling slightly dizzy but able to walk just fine. 

“Are you awake?!” she whispered moving to the side of the bed to where his head was turned. His eyes cracked open just enough to where she could see the clear gray irises and a shadow of a smirk crossed his face. He was still lying flat as if he did quiet the strength to move more.

“Sort of. But it sounded like a bad time. “ His voice was gravelly from disuse. “ Minister sounds ready to chuck me back into Azkaban and I thought “eh best not.” “ 

Joy flooded through her, even if his behavior made her want to shake him frustration again. He was  _ awake _ and  _ Okay. _ She leaned down to kiss him and he jerked away. 

“Draco- “

“You said it was over Granger. I got your message as I was leaving.” His eyes darkened with distrust. 

That time she actually did hit the mattress in frustration. “Malfoy! You. are.my. Soulmate! It can never just be over between us. You can be so thick sometimes! Why ...why would you think that?” she sniffed as a few angry tears welled up at her eyes. “Gods, is that why you shut down like this? Do you think I go around just spouting out “ I love yous” to everyone?! Answer me!”

The faintest tinge rose in his cheeks. “...No…” 

“No, I don’t! So...so let me kiss you while I’m still relieved you’re alive.” she sniffed “ And then I’ll go find a blasted Healer and your mother- “ she gasped “Oh god your mother- “

“Granger. Shut up and kiss me before you change your mind- “ 

“Right.” She tilted her head to fit over his lips and placed the faintest kiss. 

It was just like their very first kiss. Warmth rushed through her, colors popped before her eyes, silver, and gold and shining. Elation hummed through her veins and a feeling of belonging swelled in her soul. It wasn’t going to be easy, not in the least, she probably had a whole new war on her hands, but with him she where she belonged. 

_ March _

Draco Malfoy was the world’s worst patient. He bent every rule the exasperated healer set for him and push her buttons to no end. He suffered serious muscle atrophy and weight loss during his short stay in Azkaban but insisted on twice the amount of physical therapy and treatment. 

Hermione had gone back to school with a promise to visit on the weekends, and of course always came with a week’s worth of “Homework “ for him to do, including studying other trials for his own re trial coming up.

As soon as he could sit up for it, the retrial commenced. It was an all-day affair that left him pale and shaking, and Hermione a shrill nervous wreck. 

They were a lot more adept to listen without a screaming crowd, Hermione noted, and started to think about how a law could be put into place limiting press on high profile cases and who exactly would have to power to change that….

They changed the year-long sentence to house arrest to the registered address of his choosing and 3 years with a trace. Hermione held her breath waiting for him to pick the Manor and wondering how she was going to get over that hurdle to see when

He picked the London flat they spent Christmas in. 

She kissed him so hard that she actually knocked him out of the seat and on the floor.

* * *

_ July.  _

Hermione was leaning so far out of the open window, Draco was half tempted to grab her by the shirt to keep her from falling out. 

Everyone one of his attempts to distract her from the impending N.E.W.T scores had failed miserably, though it didn’t keep him from trying. He’d almost been successful with a massage last night though a stray thought had her lurch up from the bed and into a pile of textbooks. 

“ I SEE THE OWLS” she screamed in a pitch only dogs could hear. Draco wished they would just hurry the fuck up so Hermione could see she got all Outstandings and had the proof of whatever one else already knew, that she could do whatever she wanted. 

And then, hopefully they could celebrate in the bedroom ...shower...anywhere frankly it’d been too long. 

When the bloody birds finally landed, she couldn’t detach the letter for shaking too bad. Draco took hers, opened it for her and handed her the envelope. 

  
  
  
  


“You go first. “ her trembling voice insistent. He’d been allowed to sit for the exams in the flat under the extremely watchful eye of three prompters.

“Granger I’ll be happy if the thing doesn’t turn into a Howler at my touch and scream at me of how I’m supposed to be in Azkaban. “ He ripped open his anyway and read them. “ Okay, now you go.”

With a piercing wail, she tore open the envelope. Her cheeks brightened and a tear raced down her cheek. “ I got an O in everything….except…”

“Potions?” He waved his own result, trying and failing to suppress his smirk. 

She squealed again and threw her arms around him, almost throwing him to the floor again.

* * *

_ 3 years later _

“Are you sure?”’ Draco pressed his forehead to hers, panting as his fingers left her molten core. Her legs tightened around hips even more and her eyes met his, warm, loving, radiating gold energy and magic he just knew was mixed with his. 

“Yes. You’re free now, we had a proper honeymoon, we’ve been married for a whole year, and I don’t want to be pregnant while I run for Minister and we want two-”

“At least- “

“We’ll see. “ she wrapped her hands around the back of his neck and toyed with his hair. “No charm, no potion this time. Let’s have a baby.”

“I love you.” He mumbled against her mouth as he pushed into her. She gasped as her walls stretched around him. 

“I love you too.” the words were breathy but sincere. His hips snapped, burying himself all the way. Magic hummed between them, pulsing into a rapid crescendo as he picked up the pace. A mirror on the opposite wall shattered causing him to lean back and look that way. 

“Don’t stop!” Hermione cried, clawing at his forearms, her face flushed, dark eyes blown with arousal. Ignoring the broken glass he turned back to his witch, focusing on bringing her over the edge. He thumbed at her clit, praising her body, as magic swallowed his consciousness of the outside world, to a place where only they existed. It was like being high on the strongest pain potion but fully aware of all the sensations coursing through them. 

Hermione arched her back as her face contorted and her cunt squeezed him tightly and released. Her chest heaved with trying to catch her breath when he finally let go with a few hard thrusts. He praised her body with every word he knew, as he collapsed into her shoulder.

He hadn’t open his eyes when she spoke again. “Draco.... The mirror broke...and the wardrobe...cracked ...how… no seriously look...is that going to happen every time?”

“Sure as fuck hope so,” he brushed his lips against her shoulder. “That was incredible.” 

“It was, wasn’t it?” her voice was ragged from screaming. “I suppose that’s how it was always supposed to be between us. Something rare and precious.”

“Like soulmates.” he tangled his fingers in hers.

“Like soulmates.”


End file.
